"NO RECIPE'S COMPLETE 'TIL YOU ADD SOME ....LOVE!"

Do you like to cook and bake? I definitely do!

Somedays when I'm preoccupied and busy with other things, cooking might be the last thing on my mind and can be a bit of a chore. There's something comforting about a homemade meal though, regardless of what it is...from a bowl of soup to a roast beef dinner. I'm now sharing these recipes with my daughter who, in her own right, is the "official birthday dinner cook" for her friends at school. She's also sharing a few of her cooking talents with me.  And..talented she is!

I have a picture on my kitchen wall that says, "No recipe's complete 'til you add some love."  Isn't that the truth? Homemade (anything) says "Comfort and Love." Taking those few extra minutes can mean so much!

I've always liked to try new recipes.  When I make something new, it seems the first thing I ask my family is  ,"Well, what do you think, should I make it again?"  Their response is usually positive.  When it's iffy or negative, that's usually the last we see of it.

I have always loved adding my own touches to recipes and making up my own.  I think we all do that...isn't that what makes them unique and special?
Like all of you do, I have my old stand-bys and those that have stood the test of time...many from my dear Mom and Dad.
Thanksgiving is like that. We tend to serve the same foods each year because it's tradition. That's a meal that everyone enjoys and knows that their favorite something will be on the table.

I had a great opportunity recently to attend a book signing by The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. It was held at the Williams Sonoma store at the mall.  For all of you who may watch her on the Food Network, she has the same demeanor in person.  She was charming and took time to chat briefly while signing each book.

You were allowed to have a picture taken while she was signing your book but you weren't allowed to pose with her. Here are a few ...

After the book was signed, we were treated to a small buffet of recipes from her latest cookbook.  Everything was delicious.  The samples were bite sized but were of ample variety to say that we had our LUNCH!

I found a few goodies in her cookbook that just might join "our usual favorites" on the Thanksgiving menu this year :)

Speaking of Thanksgiving, my little turkeys  (The Gobble Couple - Aury) are calling my name.
I'd like to finish them up so they'll be ready for next week....I'm making good progress.  I'll post a pic of my progress in the next few days.

I hope your stitching projects are coming along, too. Time is getting away from me so hopefully, SOME of my Christmas stitching will be finished.

Have a good rest of the weekend dear friends! As always, I appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment :)  I look forward to seeing the inspiring stitching and finishing you are all doing ~

HUGS and STITCHES,

Mary

NOTES OF GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION

Oh, I had a wonderful birthday!  You know the kind of day that you don't want to end?  That was it!!
My day was filled with fun, love and happiness thanks to my entire family.  Thank you dear ones for ALL you did to make it a memorable day for me! Whether you were here or away, you're always in my heart((xo))

Thank you friends, for your thoughtful wishes and emails. I appreciate every one of them.

My first email of the day was a Precious Moments ecard from Shari. It was a sweet start to a great day.  I love it Shari,  as I've had a Precious Moments collection for many years. Ironically at the end of the day, Shari's name was generated as the winner of my giveaway!  Congratulations to a very deserving blog friend.

Two of my dear stitching friends sent me the most amazing treats...

 Myra sent this beautiful project bag and tissue case. The colors are so bright and cheerful.



My "Special One of a Kind" gift!

Myra is a fabulous seamstress and the detail on this bag is lovely, complete with the key charm on the zipper.  What makes it special too, is that she signed and dated the inside of  the bag.  The tissue case matches my purse and adds a special touch to a pack of tissues! Thank you Myra from the bottom of my heart for your kindness.  You are a treasured friend.  I think of you each time I stitch as my latest project now has a "new home!"

My next surprise was from Carol. She sent a variety of linen along with adorable Christmas fabric for finishing my ornaments. Most special was the beautiful ornament that she made, stitched over one. Take a look at this finish...the beaded edge is perfect and the detail is unbelievable. This is my only stitched ornament with our family name on it and is a true treasure. Thank you Carol. I appreciate the time it took to make this for me and will treasure it and our friendship always. The ecard added a special touch too!


"What a treat!"



"A Keepsake"

On the stitching front, I have started the Gobble Couple.  What I have done so far is all one color and not picture ready. Hopefully, this will be a weekend finish since Thanksgiving is just 2 weeks away.



"Santa's Little Helper"

 This is an older piece from Heartstrings( Pat Thode) that I forgot I had....does that happen to you, too?  It came in a kit with 28ct linen. I ran out of the wool for the reindeer and the "new" dye lots didn't match. I can see where...maybe that's why it was put away as my eye kept going to the "spot" and I was actually thinking of ripping it out and starting over..NO....I have too much done and it's almost finished.  I want to frame it for this year and framing deadlines are looming.  THAT'S my incentive for getting this done!  Sorry for the raw pic. It's really cute when it's finished.....and ironed :) The folds make it appear faded but the linen is fine.

You know how I love stitching with beads so this kit from Mill Hill "Gingerbread House" is next on my list.  I can't wait to get started on this one...it just looks like fun. I like to stitch these on 28 ct linen rather than on the perforated paper.  In my opinion, they look better and last longer. That's a plus given the time it takes to complete one.
I'll keep you updated on my progress.

As we celebrate Veterans Day today,  we remember with gratitude the unselfish and brave sacrifices that have been made for our country by our veterans and those currently serving. Please remember in thought and prayer all those who have gone before us, those who may not have come home and those who are away now from loved ones and friends.  Their families have also sacrified in untold ways.

We are the Land of the Free because of the Brave. THANK YOU!
God Bless America!

In some way may our small tokens of gratitude and appreciation make a big difference in someone's life today ~

I appreciate your stopping by and am grateful for the many friends I have made through my little piece of blogland.
I hope you all have a good weekend ahead.
HUGS and STITCHES,
Mary

A WINNER OF A BIRTHDAY....AND THE GIVEAWAY WINNER!!

I had the most beautiful birthday from start to finish thanks to my dear family and friends.
I'll have much more to share about my special day in a weekend post.

Thank you to all of you who left a comment for my first giveaway.

THE WINNER IS....SHARI (Shari's Sharings)

Congratulations Shari....I know you will enjoy your treats....they'll be in the mail this week.

Well, this birthday girl is heading off to sleep. I have so much to be grateful for and thank God for another year filled with so many blessings, dear loves and friends that make my life complete!

Thank you to all who remembered me today with your emails, comments, cards and gifts.  I truly treasure them all   XO

HUGS and STITCHES,
Mary

2 DAYS AND COUNTING... GIVEAWAY!

Just a reminder......my birthday giveaway is this Friday, November 5.

lt's chock full of NEW Christmas and Winter stitching surprises! 

You only need to be a FOLLOWER of my blog to enter.

Please leave your comment on my **NOVEMBER 1st POST**

The winner will be drawn on Friday night....Good Luck to everyone!!

My newest WIP is the Gobble Couple from Aury. Quaker inspired stitching is so pretty, isn't it? It has lots of dimension and beautiful colors.

 I think these little guys are adorable. I'll share my progress as I go along.  Hopefully, they'll "be here" for Thanksgiving.

I hope you all have a good "rest of the week." 

As always, thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment and email...I love hearing from you!

HUGS and STITCHES,
Mary

HAPPY HALLOWEEN and MY BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!!!

Happy Fall Everyone!
Happy Halloween to all of my friends who are celebrating the holiday.

October is over and I don't know where the month has gone.  It's been a busy month and I have a few pics to share of what I was fortunate to do these past few weeks.

Columbus Day weekend, my daughter and I traveled to the pumpkin patch.  It has been a yearly tradition for us since my first son was born (in 1987) but now it's just us girls because (understandably so) the boys aren't interested anymore.

We had a beautiful day. Here are some of the pumpkins and mums we saw and brought home.
As we were bringing pumpkins home, my beautiful roses were still blooming despite a night of frost....Isn't God's nature wonderful?

Later that week, I was able to attend the Stitching Jubilee in Lancaster.  I had a wonderful time meeting old friends along with new ones.....Carolyn http://xstitching5.blogspot.com/and Kathy http://stitchinkatspawprintsblog.blogspot.com/ It's nice that our blogging world  can extend beyond our computers, isn't it?  How lucky we all are to have each other to share our love of stitching.
Sad to say, the Jubilee will not be held next year and the vendor list was smaller than in years past.  The vendors that were there were wonderful.   I did add a few things to my stitching collection as pictured here. 

As for my October stitching.... I've been busy making treats for two dear blogging friends who have been so supportive since I have started my blog. I will show them once they are received so as not to ruin their surprises.

And........more October stitches......

This is a Nora Corbett chart that was published in Cross Stitch and Needlework a few years ago.  I stitched it for my daughter, who loves Halloween. The grace of the fairy reminded me of her but it took me almost a full year to complete. It's stitched on 28 ct cream cashel linen and I added blending filament and Mill Hill beads to make it sparkle. I had lots of fun stitching it and adding the special touches to it.
Another fun piece was "Witch Shoes "(Cherry Wood)  It's stitched on 28 ct light green cashel linen and I added my "beading" to the shoes. Sorry, the pic isn't the best. The ruffled border was sewn from fabric I already had and it matched the colors perfectly!

And last but not least, Halloween ends with THE CANDY!!  We have always had a lot of children coming at Halloween in our neighborhood and tonight was no exception.

I went to Target the other day to buy treats to send to my kids at college and when I got home, it seemed that the stash had grown....WHERE was I going with all of this candy??  It reminded me of how much bigger the Christmas tree seems to have "grown" once it gets in the house from what it looked like in the field!

Well, not to worry, it went from this

.....to this....!

I can't guarantee that I won't be tempted tomorrow by what's left .....:)

Don't forget my birthday giveaway is Friday! It's Christmas themed with new stitching goodies and surprises!

Please leave your comment ON THIS POST ONLY.  You only need to be a FOLLOWER to enter so good luck and thank you! Please be sure that I have an email to contact you should you be the winner.

The lucky winner will be drawn on Friday, November 5 at 5 PM

As always, your blogs and comments are inspiring and fun. I appreciate them all!
Thank you for taking the time to visit!

I hope you all have a happy, stitch filled week ahead :)

HUGS and STITCHES,
Mary

"WELCOME ALL SEASONS"

Hi Friends!

It's "officially" Fall but the weather here can't seem to figure it out yet.

Our blistering hot, humid summer days have given way to cold, flooding rains and dreary days. I finally broke down the other day when it was 46 degrees and turned the heat on. This weekend is going back to the good old summer time...with temps near 80!  

The weather aside, don't you think that we always look forward to the arrival of the "new season?"  There's a certain unexplained excitement and anticipation with the arrival of  each one and then we wait impatiently (it seems) for the next.

This pillow "Welcome Seasons" is "an oldie but goodie" from Pine Mountain.

It's one of my favorites. As you know, I like to add my own touch to a lot of the pieces I stitch....(as many of you also do) ....and I did the same on this one.

The colors remained the same but I changed the lettering and added beads to the flowers and pumpkins.  The charms are a snowflake, butterfly, sun and acorn. It was a fun and quick stitch.  I keep it out all year because it knows "no season." :)

I have a few finishes to complete this weekend and 3 of my 4 children will be home for Fall break.  My youngest son will have his break next weekend.  My heart is happy looking forward to all 4 coming home.  I'll be sooo thrilled when they will all be home together for Thanksgiving break. Oh, Happy Day!!

Later next week I'm heading to the Stitching Jubilee in Lancaster.

I hope to take lots of pictures and share my trip with you all in an upcoming post.

I will also be on the lookout while I'm there for treats to put into my November birthday giveaway...

Should YOU, dear follower be the winner, what's on your wishlist??  

 Let me know on this post !!  I'll be using the Random Generator so everyone will have a fair chance. You only need to be a follower of my blog so, spread the word!! :)  I will have STASH TO SHARE...straight from St Charles Market via the vendors at the Jubilee.  I plan on drawing the winner on Friday, November 5  at noon.  (My official birthday)

As always, I appreciate your kind comments and emails. I enjoy following your wonderful blogs and seeing your inspiring, creative stitching and finishing.
I consider myself lucky to have met so many wonderful blogging friends.

Hope you all have a happy, safe FALL weekend.

HUGS and STITCHES,
Mary

HOW BEAUTIFUL A DAY WHEN KINDNESS TOUCHES IT!

Hi Everyone!

How lucky we all are to share our love of stitching!

I have been so fortunate to have met many new stitching friends and followers since I began my blog 2 months ago. 

That being said, LOOK at the beautiful quilted candle mat that arrived for me from Myra (Gr8dame)  The colors are perfect, match my new Fall candles and the colors in my dining room. The quilting is so detailed and lovingly done. Myra was among the first to follow my blog, always has a kind word and shares entertaining conversations. Thank you, dear Myra, from the bottom of my heart for your thoughtfulness and kindness.  I always have a candle burning and now it has a special place "all its own." Each time I look at it, you're in my thoughts, dear friend.

 

As I was receiving a RAK, I was sending one...to my dear Mom.

You'll probably recognize it as the LHN "Herbal Tea."  I changed the colors of the silks and the lettering. I added blending filament to the "steam" and interspersed pink and pearl beads along the border and on the cup. The fabric shown with it is the one I used for the backing. I added the ribbon and pearl trim along the edge and was so pleased with the final result!  I have always liked the combination of pink and green. I think they're "happy colors." Pastels are among my favorites.

Believe it or not, I started this piece for Mother's Day and didn't have time to finish it with graduation and college moveouts. 

Mom was thrilled to get the little package in the mail.  I sent it as a "thinking of you with love treat." I think it meant more to her on the day she received it than if I had given to her on Mother's Day...a little boost on an otherwise ordinary day.  So, I guess my delayed timing was worth it!

I have gotten some stitching done these past few weeks (not as much as I would have liked to) and have a few finishes lined up.

I keep telling myself not to start anything new until the last piece is finished but you know how THAT goes!!  I call it "stitching multi-tasking"
These past few weeks have been busy with getting the house cleaned and decorated for Fall, my son's birthday, finishing my yearly continuing ed credits for anesthesia and chairing a raffle for the church picnic. 

Next week, I'm attending  the Stitching Jubilee in Lancaster.  Are you going? As an early birthday treat, my family has given me hotel reservations for 2 nights (I usually make it a day trip). I'm sooo looking forward to it... shopping, meeting up with old friends and being able to concentrate on my stitching. 
I have to get these projects finished here this week because the temptation for more stash enhancement is looming next week.  Oh, I'll TRY to be good and resist temptation....HA!

GIVEAWAY NEWS..since my birthday is coming the first week of November, be on the lookout for my first giveaway!!  I can guarantee a few new goodies from the Jubilee and some little "stitching extras"  to make one of my blog followers happy!!

Thank you for your kind comments and emails. I appreciate each one and enjoy following yours. Your stitching talents are great and the friendship it brings even greater!

Please try to make today a beautiful one for someone touching it with a little kindness....what a difference it makes for all of us :)

HUGS,
Mary

GOD BLESS AMERICA.....WE WILL NEVER FORGET

Hello Friends,

Today, let us remember all those who courageously and innocently gave their lives for this country nine years ago today.

May they rest in peace.  May their loved ones find comfort.

We pray for the service men and women deployed in service to our country. We are forever grateful for their sacrifice.

GOD BLESS AMERICA! THE LAND OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!

"WHERE'S THE REST OF ME?....OH, NO!

Hello friends,
I hope that you all had a good week and are looking forward to a restful weekend. The sun FINALLY came out here today and it was cool enough (without humidity) to open the windows and turn off the AC....what a relief to get a breeze...it was heavenly. It's hard to believe that Labor Day is next weekend! I don't know about you, but my summer flew by. I'm ready for cooler weather in the next few months but not a repeat of the unending snow and ice that we had last year..

Have any of you ever had a similar misfortune like the one I'm about to share?

This has NEVER happened to me before! This poor little snowman is in limbo waiting for "the rest of him and his friends" to be finished because I LOST the chart! He's a Sam Sarah design, "All is Calm" from the 2009 JCS ornament issue. He's adorable and I started to stitch him at the beginning of the summer and put him aside. I also had my eye on a few others in the same issue to stitch. I have turned the house upside down looking for the magazine. Since it's no where to be found, all I can think is that it got picked up under a newspaper on my desk, put in recycle and... well, you know the rest. I try to be so careful with all of my stitching projects but probably in the hub-bub of the past few weeks here at home, things became a whole lot less organized than usual. Fortunately, I was able to contact JCS and another issue is in the mail....whew....crisis avoided. Hang in there, buddy.. Doesn't he look like he's reaching out for help?? (almost like he knows what happened :o )

On a lighter note, I'm still in Halloween mode. My little witch is coming along and should be finished this weekend...I can't wait to show you! I'm so happy with it.


I'm a long time fan of Erica Michaels designs and this chart, Random Thoughts of Autumn, is one that I started last year. I stitched it on 18ct black Aida (a real switch for me from linen) because I plan on making a pillow.

I'm also working on finishing Little Bit o' Autumn on 40 ct gauze. This is done with 1/2 cross stitches and goes along relatively fast. Have any of you also stitched these? As long as my eyes hold up, I'm good. As my age (I'm not THAT old) increases seems that my stitch count does the same...what's with that? Maybe an appreciation for the "little things in life." LOL..TRUE!!

As you can probably tell, I'm finishing things that have been waiting.....patiently for a home. I look at some of them and think "why isn't it finished?" because there isn't a lot left to stitch on it. Oh, I'm sure there was a good reason or 5 :) :) :) :) :) and my heart and time were elsewhere.....

Thank you for stopping by dear friends. I appreciate and look forward to all of your kind comments, inspiration, and emails. I enjoy visiting your blogs. You are ALL so TALENTED!

ALL MY LOVE to my "SPECIAL 5" because I KNOW you read my blog! (xo)

*HUGS* and STITCHES,

Mary

I'm Back!

Hello, dear stitching friends! It's hard to believe that a month has passed since my last post. My summer has flown by and has been busy for what seems to have been every minute. Of my 4 dear children, 3 are safely off to college, including my youngest son. Like many of you in the same boat, I have driven from one end of the state to the other, painted, shopped, packed, loved, encouraged, sorted, lifted, climbed, added my own two cents, battled the heat of 3 (yes 3) third floor dorm rooms, hugged, held, cried, and prayed for their safety, well being and happiness. May God bless them all in their new endeavors. What a bittersweet time this is for me and my husband (oh, how we miss them) but we know that they are happy and doing well. Our oldest son who graduated from college last year, is living at home. He just received a job promotion so that joy along with his daily presence balances my melancholy with the other 3 away. So..when is Fall break??? I'm probably the only one in this family at this point that's even thinking about THAT.

Last night was the first I have stitched in weeks and although it isn't finished yet, here she is!....all 3 inches of her. The original pattern called for 30 ct over 2 for a finished size of 5 1/2 inches. I chose to stitch on a 32 ct piece of PTP Relic that I had and I think it sets all of the colors off beautifully. My camera didn't get a good pic of the color as it is darker than what is shown. Hopefully, the "finished product" will show the true colors. Another few days and it will be DONE. I like the smaller size as I can put her almost anywhere and she isn't overwhelming. It's a quick stitch if you keep at it....but....I had other things on my agenda!

My DH bought this bouquet for me today....he's good with things like that and is very thoughtful and kind. The lighter ones are alstromeria, a form of lily. They're my favorite flower and last forever if you keep them cut in fresh water. The flowers are a mix of Fall mums and darker shades. They really brightened an otherwise dreary and unpredictable weather day. Sunny one minute, pouring the next and the humidity is wicked. This summer was surely one for the books for all of us. We've had more 90+days than ever....let's hope for a cooler Fall, my favorite time of year (next to Christmas!)

Have any of you tried knotwork? This is the first piece that I did last year by Teresa Layman and I fell in love with it! Despite what you've heard about colonial and french knots, they are easy and go by quickly. Most important is how forgiving it is. When the piece is finished, it's hard to imagine that it's all knots! Her designs are beautiful and now are adapted for cross stitch, too. This little guy will be out on display soon for Fall. Speaking of squirrels, we have lots of them in our yard and last year...in my basement (long story) We live in a stone house but they found a way in through my dryer vent. It was a true family affair in the basement as we had squirrel babies! They were warm and cozy but their stay was short. Ah, my heart broke seeing the little ones but I'm happy to say that they were all humanely trapped and set free and the window rescreened. They still come close to the house though...looking for their spa!

I have enjoyed following your blogs and appreciate your kind comments and emails over the past weeks. You are all so talented with your stitching and finishing. Truly, inspirations and wonderful stitching buddies...Thank You!

May you be blessed with all that is good this week and have time for some relaxing stitching and doing the things that make you happy!

To all of you parents, guardians, and extended families sending your children off to school (whatever the age), the military, or venturing out on their own, my thoughts and prayers are with you :)

*HUGS AND STITCHES*
Mary