august wrap-up

I hate going this long without posting so I’ll just get on with it. First, where has August gone? Jose started school and is in his 3rd week already. I do feel much better about the bus and Jose walking to catch the cheese wagon. Cameron starts a session of speech therapy tomorrow and what a relief to have that underway. Now that Cameron is 2-years old I am going to put him in a mother’s day out program a couple days per week. I need the separation and he needs some social interaction with children his own age. Dh is still commuting to Birmingham for work half the week and the rest is still here in Nashville so nothing new there. August has been full of changes.

Speaking of changes…

Cameron turned 2 August 30! We kept things simple ~ no need for a huge production. We had dinner over at mom’s house. She bought a football themed cake which was fine by Cameron. He enjoyed it. He even blew out his own candles and he looked a little disappointed that the flame went out but he had fun anyways.

Saturday, Mom and I had a fun girlie day with our friends Sally and Susan at Sally’s house. We had such a lovely time. We were truly enchanted by her home – a very lovely place to be and hope that we may someday get to return. Thank you so much, Sally, for your hospitality. I can only speak for myself, but I so needed this little adventure away from the downtown and all those boys. It was a much anticipated relief.

I didn’t come empty handed either. I enjoy and love my friends so much that I brought hand made gifts. For Susan I stitched and assembled primitivebettys My Favorite Kitten pinkeep. I changed the model fabric to a 28 ct. Antique White linen b/c Susan’s newest kitty is white with blue eyes. The backing fabric is of cat faces and I added a mouse charm for the front. I didn’t take a picture of the finished kitten, but it was awfully sweet.

For Sally I stitched and framed The Sampler Girl’s Tea with Jane design released in 2007. Sally is a big time tea drinker and Janeite fan so this piece couldn’t have been more appropriate. I changed the colors to match her taste and stitched it on a gingham fabric and added a sweet golden tea bag charm to compliment.

This is NOT a visual tutorial (I'm not the expert believe me), but since this was my first framing job without glass and to make it “puffy” I had to share the steps I took to make it possible. I was extremely proud of myself. I know that my grandparents, who were extremely handy in this department, were looking down from the heavens pointing and proudly saying “that’s my granddaughter!”

my materials

lesson learned = leave more fabric around edge

first time pinning

first time lacing

What isn’t pictured is the sawtooth that I perfectly hammered into place and the two green soft spacers I placed in the lower corners. The whole thing was just so perfect. Susan thought I had it framed professionally and that was a huge compliment b/c I just played it by ear based on what I’ve read through all of you and what I've witnessed at my LNS, that’s all. Maybe I should start my own framing/finishing shop. LOL (not quite)

Anyway, the next news will be that my Jane Austen sampler will be complete. I am at the very, very bottom. I should be through with it this week and I’m extremely excited about it. Supposedly this Labor Day weekend we’re to go camping with our friend Dave so lots of planning to do there.

Talk soon!

nature

I have been stitching lately, but for some reason I’ve been preoccupied and have really no new progress to share. I think it’s my new meds. I’m really scatterbrained so no stitchy-pics with this post.

The other day Cameron and I were walking to the car and spotted this beautiful black and blue butterfly. Actually Cameron spotted it. :o) I didn’t have my camera with me so I dug out my cell phone and used it. The picture is awfully grainy but you should have seen this. It was a beauty. A very jet black with a shiny, royal blue ass tail end. It was really pretty.

I was at moms last week and saw this amazing spider web outside her breakfast nook. I had to see what kind of photos I could capture. I think not bad. It was HUGE. I searched for the host or hostess, but couldn’t find them. Looks like its seen a couple of battles though. There was a large gaping hole and a couple of small ones too. It was a sight to see.

Mother Nature is glorious, isn’t it? Except for those blasted mosquitoes!!! I despise those things. I received 11 bug bites this evening while I was cleaning out my car. Ugh!!!!!!!!! Talk soon!

lately

~ I watched the movie Emma (It was so-so.)
~ I watched the movie Pride & Prejudice (It was okay; disappointed in the abrupt ending
with no kissing between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.)
~ I watched the movie Charlie Wilson’s War (It was funny and politically driven of
course, but funny.)
~ I charted my first cross stitch piece
~ I started drawing my second cross stitch design
~ Jose started 7th grade and it was difficult to watch him take the bus
~ Cameron passed his hearing test
~ we all had sushi for dinner and tried a new roll called Florida (yummy!)
~ I began an audio book called Tick Tock by Dean Koontz
~ my dh has been traveling and commuting a distance for work
~ I have made plans to visit with friends and mom this Saturday (yay!!!)
~ we finished getting school supplies
~ my parents’ mailbox was stolen; pole and all
~ I’ve had too many migraines; doc prescribed preventive medicine finally
~ Cameron and I watched a butterfly flutter around our patio
~ we’ve mostly stayed indoors b/c it is bloody hot outside
~ I went to my LNS to pick up some linen
~ I stitched on my JA sampler (what fun and almost done - I'm a poet :o)
~ I really miss my friends

dog dayz of summer r closing & progress elsewhere

Here are some of our last, hot, afternoon, summer dayz…

Don't ask...we don't.

Cameron in the backyard with daddy and the dogs just last weekend. Cameron got such a kick out of the dogs being in the pool with him. The dogs…not so much.

These other lazy-by-the-pool photos were taken by our friend, Dave and his friend Lindsey. We attended Dave’s 10-year old daughter’s birthday and our boys had such a good time. Dave and his daughter Devinee really know how to throw a party.

To end the hot dayz of summer, today marked Jose’s return to school. Today was the beginning of 7th grade. I was a nervous wreck and I’ll tell you why. Ever since Jose was in pre-school/kindergarten we have always driven him to school. We depended on only ourselves to get him there; never having to worry about someone else or anything else to do that job for us. Jose has always attended Montessori and magnet curriculums, therefore, those types of schools do not offer transportation – you have to provide it.

So, for 6-7 years we have driven Jose to and fro. He’s never ridden the cheese wagon (as we call the school bus). Back up several sentences…I was a nervous wreck this morning. Literally pacing around my home waiting to get a glimpse of the passing cheese wagon through the storm door. And before this, watching him walk up our busy road (and I mean busy) to catch the bus for the first time until I could no longer see him. Jose is 12 and for the first time I had that feeling like as if he started school all over again at the age of 5. Why does loving children physically hurt? I’m just glad I made it through this day. And just think, Jose made it through better than I did and he’s the child, but as you can tell Cameron was pretty upset to see big brother go too. :o)

Onto progress…Here’s On Travel with Jane Austen so far. I love the house. It’s just so sweet. I stopped on it for a brief time b/c I wanted to finish-finish some things and I’m glad I got to those. I do feel a little more accomplished, although my mind is starting to wander again. LOL!

Dh is back from out of town today. I am jubilant over some upcoming social outing with my friends Sally and Susan and mom (I love them so). However, right now the boys are screaming for my attention (like they don’t get enough) so I must tend and mend…Talk soon!

candy

Yesterday my parents and their friends went to Lynchburg, Tennessee to tour the Jack Daniels Distillery. They had a blast! Said it was a terrific time to be had and that my mom would love to babysit the kids so dh and I could take the tour. Mom said the history is amazing. My mom brought back some atomic fire bombs (candy) for Jose and me some taffy. I love taffy!!!

Cut box, ugh?

Yum-Yum!!! I've already eaten too many and I just got them this afternoon. Talk soon!

primitive finish

I love primitive finishes because the piece never has to be perfect. It’s afforded the rustic worn and aged appearance. I like things that have hang-ups and mismatched seams. I like getting to use my walnut crystals and the oven. Like Stacy Nash designs. I love, love, love her designs and I will never have too many of them!

Country Sampler Velvet Bag was a sweet and simple stitch. Again the finishing instructions are well put together. I warn you, though, as Stacy does. Watch out for that velvet. It wants to walk around on the fabric so have fun catching that little booger and keeping it still. I had one hell of a time trying to get it straight and aligned with the reproduction fabric. I had to use my seam ripper 3x. I have learned something with this project. I HATE working with velvet and don't plan on implementing it anytime soon on any new projects! The velvet can stay at the stores on the bolts where it belongs, thank-you-very-much.

The velvet is very pretty when worn by ways of taking the tip of scissors and scraping it against the surface. I was nervous about this technique but went for it. It was something new and different. I did stab myself which I bled but not bad. Now I have to insert buy a pair of Putford scissors to hide inside the tiny heart.

What a great project bag this will make for a teeny tiny project on the go or not on the go. Either way it’ll be a nice addition to my other project bags, which come to think of it, I have a small collection going now…my punchneedle pocket, the Traveling Stitcher by LHN and now this. Cool beans!

I have a couple of other projects going on of course. Would we have it any other way??? LOL! I have an Elmo piece I stitched in 1999 for Jose (geez, Jose was 2 then-ah) and never got it framed. Cameron is a huge Elmo fan and so I thought now is as good-a-time as ever to finally get this piece moving. I decided not to frame it and instead I’m going to make it into a pillow b/c Cameron likes to lay around with pillows and blankets and watch none other than Elmo.

This thing was stitched on like 1 ct (I’m exaggerating just a bit) with a million strands of floss. I went to Jo-Ann’s last week and picked out some flannel fabric for the back. It’ll be soft and colorful just like Cameron. :o)

I also just finished a teeny tiny two-day stitchery, but I can’t show it off just yet. In due time…Talk soon!

giveaway winner is...

DRUM ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cut out each entry, folded each piece and put into a felted strawberry bag. My eldest son, Jose, gladly picked the winner.

CONGRATULATIONS GAIL!!! Gail's comment said..."I am a quilter and discovered your site thru Simple Pleasures blog. Congratulations on your accomplishments! Thank you for entering me in your draw. I have never done any handwork other than quilting and would love to give it a try."

Gail, please email me with your mailing address and I'll get the Shepherd's Bush kit on its way to you (my email is in sidebar). Since this will be your first handwork, other than quilting, this couldn't have been a better start for you. Shepherd's Bush gives excellent instructions and diagrams on stitching and the how-tos. I think you will thoroughly enjoy this design.

On a side note, I would like to apologize for not getting to the drawing sooner. Had a couple of set backs the last day or so. I want to also thank each and everyone of YOU for your very thoughtful and encouraging words on my continuing success to remain smoke-free. It means the world to me that you all took the time to say a few kind words. I appreciate it more than you know and it won't be forgotten, so thank you.

Melissa and Sally, I missed going to moonlight stitching. I really wanted to be there more than any other place and I hope to make the next one for sure, but sometimes you gotta do whatcha gotta do, right!?! Loves and hugs to you.

giveaway...my first

I'm having a giveaway, a rather sudden giveaway. Stupid, really, but on Saturday, August 8 (this year obviously - heehee) I triumphantly reach 3 FULL years successfully smoke-free. These last 3 years have been extremely difficult aside from not smoking, but add the triggers and temptations (and visions of smokers dancing in my head) hasn't made the last few years any easier but I've persevered.

I made a promise years ago for many reasons why I wouldn't smoke and I can honestly and with a healthy heart scream now I'M SMOKE FREE. What a relief! To honor this commitment to myself, my kids, and my family and friends I'm having a quick giveaway.

I'm giving away Shepherd's Bush The Promise. The kit includes: Au Ver A Soie Silk, Thread Gatherer Handpainted silk and ribbon, beads and charms, needles, instruction book (of course), and 32 ct linen Light Sand (9x25 cut).

If you're interested in entering to win this kit, please comment on this post and become a follower. If you're already a follower just comment then. :o) This giveaway is open to the globe. The giveaway closes at 11:59 pm central standard time, August 8th. Sunday, Aug. 9th I will have one of my kids pick a name from a basket and I will make the announcement shortly after that so stay tuned.

Good luck to YOU and congrats to ME for another successful year! Talk soon!