Pumpkins for Cathey

                          Happy Pumpkin Blogoversary, Cathey!
 Our thoughts, love and prayers go out to you on this special day. You can never have enough pumpkins but your most precious one sits and smiles on your lap.

I know that you are a beautiful stitcher and fan of Mirabilia and Nora Corbett. I'd like to share this piece I stitched a few years ago. I was drawn to it for its beauty and grace (and she has 2 pumpkins with her :)
Your inner grace and beauty are an inspiration to all of us.

Sharon (Daffycat) was thoughtful to reach out to the worldwide stitching community to make this a very special day for you. Word certainly travels f-a-s-t!
Isn't it a wonderful feeling to know how kind, loving and supportive our stitching buddies are?
I can attest to that firsthand myself!

I'm sending my heartfelt blessings and prayers to you and your dear family today and everyday.

Just remember that you have many cheerleaders around the world rooting for you!  (((HUGS)))

It's Great To Be Back!

Hello dear stitching friends......
It's good to be back with all of you in blog land after my long, unexpected absence. As I'm sure we might agree, life has a way of changing abruptly and in its wake, we sometimes find ourselves stunned and confused facing unexpected crossroads.

Such is what happened to me and my family recently  but we are blessed by God, strong and continuing on together. My daughter and 3 sons have certainly been blessings to my dear husband and myself.
My husband suffered a very serious injury last year and it has taken a full year for his miraculous recovery. Thank you for your prayers, emails and cards. We sincerely appreciate your thoughtfulness.

As for my stitching..  my time and interest for it have returned!  I usually prefer stitching smalls and an occasional "big" project. Well, I've done a little bit of both.

Once the "bigger" piece is finally finished, don't you just feel a sense of accomplishment and pride, even though it takes a while (and sometimes stamina) to complete? 

When I started this post, I realized that the 3 finishes shown here are framed. While most of my stitching isn't framed, these 3 pieces did lend themselves to such a finish.


My latest "big project" is My Shade by Erica Michaels. The verse is taken, in part, from Psalm 121.

My Shade

I stitched this as a birthday gift for my second oldest son who is in the novitiate studying to become a priest. Ironically, I started stitching this before my husband's accident and it's message has brought hope and comfort to all of us as a family. Yes, God is Good!

It is stitched on 32ct ivory linen with the suggested Weeks and Gentle Arts threads.
This piece was a joy to stitch and although it had many specialty stitches (none too complicated), I looked forward to completing each section. Among these were smyrna crosses, padded satin, lazy daisy and modified Rhodes, just to name a few. Each one gave the piece such depth and variety.

My Shade

I chose to omit the animals and birds as charted and added two of my own details (seen in the larger picture)...AMDG is the latin translation "For the Glory of God" and is the motto of my son's religious order.  I couldn't miss to add my signature "xo" (the hugs and kisses that I have always sent on all of my treats to our children)
I chose a simple brown frame with white trim and a green mat that seemed to offset the stitching perfectly. My camera wasn't cooperating so the pictures are darker than I had hoped.

We were fortunate to have a visitation day with our dear son to celebrate his birthday!
He found the perfect place for his gift on his bedroom wall.....xo

A Very Happy Birthday

Time Has Flown By.....

Speaking of Erica Michaels, Peace was the next finish on my list.

Peace

This reflects simple beauty and peacefulness to me. I stitched it on 28ct raw linen with the suggested threads. I added flecked blending filament to the threads and interspersed tiny beads on the snowflakes.The snow just seems to glisten with the added fibers. I framed it in a very simple brown frame.  Doesn't it remind you of a quiet snowfall?


Another framed finish that I completed was a birthday gift for my dear friend, Carol
This is Happiness by Brooke's Books, a part of the Bride's Tree Collection.

Happiness

It is stitched on 32ct Patina Lakeside Linen with the charted Weeks and GA flosses. I omitted the heart on the nest and opted for tiny clear beads dotted throughout. Tiny white and pink centered beaded flowers replaced the stitched ones on the chart. 
 I chose a gold, branched frame with a green mat.  
Carol seemed to enjoy her gift as much as I did stitching it for her.

Happiness

And now, may I introduce you to Rosie. Isn't she sweet?  My oldest son bought her as a SURPRISE birthday gift for my husband, not to mention ME.  My husband had a St. Bernard from high school through med school.

Rosie at 7 weeks

Our previous pets have been Labs and now Rosie has full run of the roost as our other pups have passed on. What a sweetheart she is but a powerhouse of strength. I really believe that she doesn't realize her strength OR her size! She can walk me and if a squirrel comes around, all bets are off...and so is Rosie!
Rosie is now 135 lbs of pure, sweet disposition, very similar to our other dogs except in size!
She is a constant, adoring  and fun companion for all of us. Good things DO come in bigger packages :) 

Sweet Rosie

I look forward to getting back to following all of your blogs and seeing your beautiful stitching.

Welcome to my old and new friends. 
It's good to have you visit me here in my little corner of the blogging world.

Thank you for your kind comments and emails. I appreciate each one and invite you to stop by often. You can also follow me on Bloglovin'

See you soon with some new spring finishes!

HUGS and STITCHES,
Mary

FINALLY....MY FEBRUARY POST

Good Morning Friends,

I hope you are all well and getting ready for spring!   I know I am...we can finally see the grass after almost 30 inches of snow.

I'm back after a very long January.  A lot can and does happen in six weeks! Like many of you, we have had more than our share of snow and ice.  My "stitching challenge" was sidetracked as I had a challenge of a different kind~  I had the worst case of the flu and bronchitis that I can ever remember...so much so that I was almost hospitalized with a 102 fever and dehydration. (Yes, I had a flu shot in October, too.)

After my bout with the flu, I had the misfortune to "meet the sidewalk" when I fell on ice (that I never saw coming), sprained my ankle, wrist and cut my hand. Of course, it was my right hand and I'm right handed.  My stitches have finally absorbed and I'm back to my "old self"and FINALLY  STITCHING AGAIN!  YAY!!!

My "flu and fall" set me back for a few weeks but thankfully, I am feeling much better. I need to catch up following and commenting on your wonderful blogs.  So...if you get a comment on your "past post" from me, thank you for understanding why :)
I send my sincerest thanks to all of my blogging buddies who emailed me during my absence. I truly appreciate your kind thoughts and well wishes.


Please bear with me as I backtrack and revisit the past weeks. I would be remiss not to....... 


This is a chart that my LNS gave their customers for the holidays. These gals are the best and the shop has been a favorite of mine for years.  I stitched it on 28 ct. white opalescent linen with DMC in the charted colors. I added beads to "dot' the i's and some blending filament for the bows.  I thought the metallic finish was fun and set off the filament and the linen.  (It's all finished...for NEXT year!)
The sentiment is timeless and not just for Christmas....don't you agree?

Having said that, I would like to share the gifts that I was so fortunate to receive from my dear blogging friends. They were thanked personally as I received each one. These truly ARE gifts from the heart....



I was thrilled to receive this beautiful candle mat from Myra that I placed under my Christmas vase in the dining room. As most of us know, she is a talented seamstress and a wonderful blogging friend. I have been fortunate to receive a few of her treats. The red, green and gold colors complimented my decor and are so festive.  I love the charm, "Made with Love" Yes, it truly was!

Thank you, dear Myra.  It is a piece I'll treasure always to remember our friendship and my first year of blogging

Carol surprised me with this beautiful Prairie Schooler ornament from A Prairie Year II (#23) Aren't her stitching and finishing just gorgeous? Thank you, Carol for my lovely winter treat. Snowflakes and pine are timeless remembrances of winter days.  This little treasure brightened up many of mine recently as it stayed out on display after Christmas. I treasure it and our friendship.

My blogging friend Shari sent me this adorable denim tote bag stitched from a Lizzie Kate design. I was a winner of a PIF on her blog. Imagine my surprise to receive this happy gift so soon in the new year. What a great idea!  Who doesn't need a stitching bag and the sentiment is sooo true.  Good things DO come to those who stitch and it's in the form of friends, support and kindness.  Thank you Shari. I received this on a day that I needed a pick me up and it already has a special place by my chair with my stitching IN IT :)

My Valentine stitching is in the finishing stages although a little late! I figured that since February is "heart month", I still have time to get it all done.  This will be great therapy for my healing hand and wrist. 

As for my own stitching challenge, I am planning on finishing 2 ornaments a month, continuing with my knotwork and revisiting punchneedle.  Thank you Brenda for sparking my interest in it again with your beautiful punchneedle pieces :)
I also have a few new French charts for spring....and some WIP (don't we all?)
Oh well, it's all fun!  I have lots to share in the coming weeks~

I'm off to finish my "heartwork" and will be back in a few days to show you my finishes.

I hope you all have a good weekend filled with things that make you happy!

*HUGS and STITCHES*
Mary

A VERY MERRY AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas Dear Friends!

Wishing all of you the Peace, Joy and Love that this beautiful season brings today and everyday~

This is a Lizzie Kate pattern that I stitched using Threadworks 1085 and blending filament. I added a few beads on the top and bottom borders along with a brass heart charm. I finished it into this pillow originally intended as a Christmas gift for my Mom.

As some of you know, Mom fell a week before Thanksgiving and broke her wrist in three places. Needless to say, it has been a long, at times frustrating and depressing time for an otherwise independent, vibrant woman. Her cast is scheduled to be removed January 5 and we pray that she will have a full recovery.  This "early" treat brightened her day and in a small way, let her know that I'm thinking about her (in between our visits) as I live 2 hours away.
I can always be assured that she truly appreciates the time spent stitching and finishing her "keepsakes." 

I think the gratitude, appreciation and happiness that our stitching brings to others makes it all so worthwhile...whatever the occasion may be.

I'm off to get our Christmas dinner ready and am looking forward to enjoying the day with my husband and 4 children.
Maybe tonight I will be able to pick up my stitching after a long 5 week hiatus...I have a few WIP begging to be finished!
I have new stitching goals in mind for 2011.  Some may be similar to yours :)
.
I'm blessed to have made many new friends since I started this blog in July. Thank you all for your kind comments, fun emails and inspiring stitching.

I hope your day is filled with love, laughter, joy.....and lots of hugs and stitches :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS,
Mary

"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