a framed jane

Here is On Travel with Jane Austen by The Sampler Girl all framed and on the wall. I couldn’t be more pleased and happy with how she turned out. And it always feels good to get a big sampler back framed after all that long hard work – exhale! Accomplishments are nice, aren’t they?



Speaking of travel, I’m heading to my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio for the weekend for mom’s high school reunion. Yep, I get to go to mom’s high school reunion with her. I’m really looking forward to this. It should be interesting and fun, but then I can have fun most places I go when with mom. We’re fun girls. :) I get to visit with my Aunt Pam (mom’s sis) and cousins so that’ll be a nice needed treat. We’re also going to wander over to Aunt Pam’s LNS called Keepsakes. It doesn’t have a website, but this place is so cute. I’m going to ask if I can take pictures b/c it’s one of the best places to visit. It’s in a 2-story old house so LOADS to look at.

I’m going to miss my boys especially since my days start off with Cameron in such good spirits, but I really need to get out of dodge for awhile. Talk soon!

first day

Cameron started his first day of daycare today. He won't be going everyday. Just one or two days a week to start, but he was extra excited this morning.

Once Cameron saw where we were he got so tickled. He actually posed for me so I could take his picture.

Such a big boy! He went up the stairs. Knocked on the door and off he went with one of the teachers to his classroom. Even held her hand. He's never been to a daycare before and never played with children his own age so Mama was very proud and not at all surprised.

Cameron and I visited this daycare two times before to make sure THIS was the place for Cameron and he had his set on the giant school bus from the get-go. So of course when we arrived this morning the first thing Cameron looked for was the giant school bus and the Elmo doll to go inside it. The pictures are a little blurry, I know, but this just goes to show how busy 2 year olds are. They never stay in one place for too long. LOL

Here's my little tyke home from his first day at school. He had so much fun and he was a good toddler for them. He ate all his breakfast, lunch and snacks and even took a nap like everyone else. He cried for about 3 minutes when I left, but that was it. He had a very productive day. Some stickers came in the mail and you can tell he was happy about his day and getting smiley stickers too. I love my Cameron!

Btw, here is the backing fabric and 3/8 ribbon I've picked for Winter Love. I haven't really had an opportunity to sit and put it together, but I will. Talk soon!

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!

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!

at the beach and then...

My BIL and his fiancé flew into Nashville from Calgary this past weekend and Monday we all decided to go to one of our lake’s beaches. It was very warm and extra sunny with puffy white clouds; a perfect day for beach-going. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t too thrilled about the outing. I don’t own a bathing suit so how much fun can I have? [Note to self: Get bathing suit.]

Anyway, we brought picnic-type lunches, snacks and good company. I actually had a decent time.

This was Cameron’s first time at the beach…well, a man-made, no-where-near-an-ocean kind of beach. :o) Here is Cameron and daddy testing the sand and water.

The boys had fun. Jose made friends with some kids and we didn’t get photos of him ~ he was too busy. Cameron had an absolute blast!!! He had soooo much fun with his Uncle Rob.

In fact, Cameron had the time of his life! He had more fun at the lake than he does in the pool which to me is very surprising. We will definitely be going back.

And then…

I stitched SN’s Cast Your Spells in 2 days. The ticking is for the back of what will be a pincushion. The black wool is to make a heart-shaped swatch to attach to the ticking. This was a fun little break away from my Jane Austen sampler which I’m back at, btw. I’ve also been jumping back and forth from JA to LHN’s The Sampler Lady. I’m 85% done with it, but not enough progress since last time to show right now.

I apologize for taking a week long hiatus from the bloggy-blog world. Since family from Canada is here we’ve been pretty immersed. However, Jose and I did get a chance to see the new Harry Potter movie with my mom Tuesday afternoon. It was really good; a little sad at times, but definitely the darkest Potter movie yet.

I have other things to share, but I’ll include that in another post very, very soon. Let’s just say for starters that I received some very surprising, yet extremely generous gifties from a new and a very sweet, sweet stitchy-gal pal Joanie ~ more on that later though, but must get this out. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOANIE!!! You are so thoughtful to think of me and for being a fan of my blog. It’s truly appreciated!

I leave you with Cameron and one of his favorite things…

Talk soon!