"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

"Boo" to You!

Hi Everyone,
Christmas in July seems to be popular right now but I'm in a Halloween stitching mode! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas but I also LIKE Halloween. I'm an "Autumn baby" so maybe that's why? I just bought this new design "Candy Corn...Boo to You" and it's different from anything I have for Halloween....I'm sure you'll agree, it's a necessary addition to my "stash." :) Stay tuned for the finish as I have opted to change the fabric and some of the floss. I hope we like it!

Speaking of "Boo"....here is a picture of my 8 year old lab. She's a real buddy and a good pet. Now that all of my children are off to college and work, we are constant companions. (She knows who has the treats!) As silly as it sounds, she is well trained but hates her leash. Despite that pitfall, she does cute tricks...maybe I can take "my puppy" for an act "on the road." (lol) On second thought, we're happy at home! Having a pet is a blessing...they add so much fun and love to the family! They seem to understand more than we realize, don't they? Their love is simple, unconditional and genuine....

Thank you for taking the time to stop by. I truly appreciate your kind emails and comments and "welcome" all my new stitching pals.

Boo and I wish you all a relaxing, cool weekend filled with happy things and stitching!

Hugs and Stitches,
Mary

Friendships, Stitching and Sharing

Hi Friends, I am so grateful to receive all of your welcoming comments and emails about my new blog. I'm trying to respond to them all but in the meantime, please know how much I appreciate your kind thoughts, inspiration and support.

I have also had the opportunity to follow wonderful blogs that are new to me..all from your friendly comments left on mine :) Thank you!

I would like to thank Carol for introducing me on her blog. She is a dear friend and was the first person to inspire me to start a blog. Then my boys jumped on the bandwagon to help me (I'm glad they did...I had no clue where to start!) and the rest is history.

I had admired a piece that Carol had posted on her blog and within a few days, I received mail from her with the chart to share, including the fabric along with a gift of LK Land That I Love complete with floss. How thoughtful... I was so excited to receive this treat! Thank you, my dear friend.
I would also like to send hugs and big thank you's to Mary Anne, Nancy and Myra, 3 of my very first followers...and supporters! Stitching friends and family are the BEST!!

I hope you are all staying cool. The weather here has been unrelenting. I can't remember a day when it hasn't been in the upper 90's for several weeks.

My youngest son is heading for college in August and we are planning a "graduation/going away" get together for him and his friends....complete with a moonbounce. Oh, just the thought of bouncing on a HOT day ......but these are the days we'll all remember (with so many happy memories!)

Hugs and Stitches,
Mary

Happy Birthday Daniel!

23 years ago today, I became a Mom for the first time, Wow...does time fly. My son means the world to me and has grown to be a wonderful young man.

I finished this design in time for Daniel's 11th birthday as the frame is dated July 1998. I signed the back with happy thoughts for my husband and 4 children. What a colorful, fun and sentimental design! It's stitched on the perforated paper that was included in the kit and has stood the "test of time." I have long since preferred to stitch the Mill Hill kits on 28 ct. linen but I never tire of the beads!
This frame has a special place on the table for our birthday dinners. Maybe an heirloom to be?? One can only hope! (I HOPE the paper that it's stitched on holds up over the years!)

Happy, Happy Birthday to my buddy with all my love. May God bless You Daniel, and may the year ahead be filled with happiness and good fortune. Enjoy your day :D
Love you, Mom xoxoxoxoxo

To all who may be celebrating a birthday today, I wish you a Happy Birthday and a Happy Year ahead :)

Hugs and Stitches,
Mary

Souvenir de France

A trip to France $$$$$$
A beautiful French Souvenir $$$
WDW Kohl Floss w/blending filament $2.50
Blackbird Designs and Mom's stitching - Free

Heartbursting Pride in a wonderful son, elected President of Alpha Mu Gamma Foreign Language Honor Society....PRICELESS

Congratulations Bill!! xoxo

Hugs and Stitches,
Mary

Deepest Love

I do LOVE this pattern. I just happened to be in my LNS the day the girls were unpacking it and it captured my attention. It's different and the designer (Turquoise Graphics and Designs) is new to me as well. I started this a few months ago and put it aside because I ran out of Gold Leaf (ST) and it took some time to match the dye lot....many skeins were darker than the original one I bought and I had too much done to change anything. I did choose to change the red and pink that the chart called for and am so pleased with my result. The center was rather tedious to stitch as the colors changed frequently and the pattern was close together. Now that I'm nearing the end, I do still LOVE it. This will probably be framed..so all I need to do next is to pick a special place to hang it!

Thank you all for your kind, encouraging comments. I look forward to hearing from you :)

Hugs and Stitches, Mary