*love & peace*



Talk soon...

mrs. rodgers neighborhood...part 1

Tree trimming is complete! I use a pre lit, artificial tree. I once had a nice 7-foot tree, but it was "mistakenly" put out with the trash some years ago. However, when Cameron was born and able to walk, I bought a 4-foot tree (seen below). I decided to put it on a table that continues to work well for us. I store this and all holiday decorations in the attic, but this year was more, shall we say, trying than years before.  

I believe something or someone was looking over me. While getting the boxes down I fell from the attic. I was on the 4^th step from the top and just went backward. Landed on my knee. I was a cross between the bionic woman and some sort of stunt person with a little bit of grace to boot. I managed to do a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar kind of move and turn in mid-air; hence landing on just my knee instead of my back or neck. Did I mention I fell on concrete? Uh, yeah. All I got was a knot and a bruise, believe it or not. I did stay out of the attic the rest of the day and asked for help later on.  

On top of this little chaotic event, more than half my lights didn’t work and I wasn’t about to test every single teeny tiny light bulb! No. No. No. Instead, I just went to Dollar General and bought a strand of white lights and VIOLA! I’m satisfied. This little tree will be purposely put into the trash this year.

Moving along…

Mom and I celebrated our birthdays on the 10th and 11th. Saturday, we had a really nice time with our friends, Sally and Susan, as we always do. We were invited to Sally’s beautiful home for lunch, gift exchanging (for our friendly Christmas exchange too) and some stitching; although we didn’t get to stitch an inch. We did rummage through Sally’s stash, though ;-)

I received these gifts from both my girls. Isn’t that Jane Austen thread keep just to die for?! And we can always use more scissors! Sally stitched this darling little JBW stocking for me and it adorns my tree as we speak. I just love handmade gifts, don’t you? Thank you, Sally and Susan, for being so good to me. I love you both so much!

Hold onto your needles gals…

This is what my mother gave me for my birthday.

This is just the top! Check out the quilting of the spools of thread and needles all around my name. This quilting is done inside and out. The background fabric is a sampler style. It looks like it could be Moda or Blackbird, but mom wasn’t sure. Even I'm not really sure, and I don't really care. She had it made for me. It’s really very pretty.

The trip inside is even better…

Five pockets are crochet serving a purpose for a ruler, scissors (with a built-in magnet), a thread keep (maybe Jane Austen will fit cozily inside), a pencil, and a dainty little cube for Thread Heaven. But of course, the mind is a crazy place and I can designate these cozy nooks for anything I like. I love that it has one massive place for “my project” and the separate areas for all other necessaries. This is one of the best gifts I have ever received. Thank you, Mom!

Sunday was my birthday and I spent it with my parents…

Mom is so funny. She stopped by her local store and saw this cute little elf cake and knew that it was for me.

Like Paulette, I took some photos at my parent’s house. There is just something about mom’s house during winter that just feels like, well, home. I messed played with my photos a bit. Mom really likes nativity scenes. I only took a few photos of two of them. She has a few more scattered around the house that I didn’t capture.

I really played with this next photo. My parents have very high ceilings and mom has Grandma's sleigh on a window ledge far out of reach. Grandma made this Santa and his sleigh of reindeer many, many years ago. She could create anything and was a queen when it came to plastic canvas and yarn, which were the used materials. I thought it would look neat to add snow...so I did.

Later on Saturday night we all met up for our birthday dinner. Hibachi style. And dad had one more gift up his sleeve for me...

Did you think I was kidding about Mrs. Rodgers neighborhood?!?! Nah! I really meant it :-). And you can start calling me that from now on, please..................(j/k).

To be continued...

journey

And I don’t mean the band. My last, significant post was May 9. Seven months ago. A week hasn’t gone by that I haven’t thought about making a journal entry. A wise woman recently said to me, “Blogging is a luxury and we have to be in the right frame of mind to do it or there isn't any fun in it.” And I agree with that. Sharon is so right.

In May I was let go; other wise, fired from my job. It’s been touch and go since and I’ve only now felt like blogging. I still don’t have a job so times are tough, and with Christmas around the corner I’m not very “merry.” All I want for Christmas is a career. Can Santa help with that?

Jose is now 14 years old and has visited the ER twice since May. Once requiring a visit to the OR; and we have no insurance, but blessed be us. Jose is perfectly fine, health wise. He needs to do better in school and his attitude needs adjusting BIG TIME! I love him with every ounce of my body. He gave me the title “mother.” Being pregnant and unwed at 21 with him saved my life in ways he’ll never understand. But I don’t always like him. I can go from being so unbelievably proud of him one minute and telling that to anyone who will listen, to regretting ever opening my mouth the next. But God love him.

Cameron is 4 years old and has not visited the ER. Cameron has developed such a mature personality and his sense of humor is wicked. He’s extremely independent, creative and determined. He still looks like Curious George and he’s in love with his Papa (my dad). He calls me ‘sweetheart’ a lot. He’s such a hoot and a pleasure to be around, but annoying sometimes because his energy level is full force all day. Oh, and he never stops eating and still maintains a tiny figure. He does NOT get that from me!

I have been stitching and managed to get a couple things finished this summer. I was able to get one piece framed, however. It’s a Christmas gift for someone very special to me. I will post pictures of it in an upcoming entry. I also read more this summer and finished a few books from my Kindle. 

This year has been a tough one in so many areas. I’ve had a lot of blessings too. Lots of changes. I just turned 36 and by far the most difficult job on the planet is parenting. And what’s harder than that…parenting alone. Anyway, this is my humdrum post and promise the next one will be great!

In a rare moment, here is Jose and Cameron getting along. Cameron needed help battling Bowser in Super Mario and asked Jose to assist. Lucky Cameron...Jose said yes.

Talk soon!

paging dr. cameron

The other day I picked Cameron up from daycare which followed a visitation with his daddy. After our miss-you hugs, we got into the car and our conversation went so...

Mommy: The kitties are sick, Cameron.
Cameron: What's wrong (concern in voice)?
Mommy: They have colds. The kitties are sneezing and have runny noses. But not Samantha. She's not sick. (She's our oldest cat.)
Cameron: Are they at the doc-dor?
Mommy: No, honey. They're at home.
Cameron: They need cat tissues.

Like I said. Paging Dr. Cameron... Paging Dr. Cameron... You have a telephone call at the front desk.

Talk soon!

meet ms. elizabeth hancock

I was tempted introduced to a new SAL for 2012 started by our infamous Vonna from The Twisted Stitcher. Of course, I joined!

Look at the gorgeous colors, and the verse is beautiful. Diane Williams did a great job with this sampler. So, head over to Vonna's blog, send her an email and sign up. Or if you lack will power go over to Stitching with Elizabeth Hancock blog, just created by Vonna, and get yourself tempted. I did!

Talk soon!

quickie

I'm dropping in for a quick hello. I've updated my page here. I've got new additions (furry babies, that is) - take a peek on the side panel! They are awfully cute, I must say so myself :-). I haven't posted in 7 months. Whew! I'll talk briefly about that in my next post. Have a good evening!

Talk soon!

mother's day

I wish I could say that Mother's Day was a wonderful day, but it wasn't. My mom is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean heading to Rome, Italy, but I did receive a call from her. We chatted just a bit while she was cruising across the pond. I received some lovely text from friends and family, and I had a great conversation with Aunt Pam.

Oh, yesterday just didn't turn out the way I wished it would or thought it should. Cameron was with his father for the weekend and that was all right with me. I made the choice not to spend it with Cameron AND Jose so that I could spend more quality time with just Jose. But things didn't go so well between us. A waste of a day, actually. Cameron does come home this evening, as I need the comfort of his upbeat sense of humor right now. A sneak peek of the usual dose I get of Cameron.

Yep! Can't wait until he comes home this evening. He's always full of surprises.

Talk soon...

smitten over

** Jose and Cameron
** Mom
** new blog looks
** Fridays
** moonlight stitchin'
** free weekends
** Sade's music
** laying pool-side
** reading from my Kindle
** summer
** stitching
** orchids
** kittens
** chats with Aunt Pam
** starting a new book
** a good movie
** margaritas
** Orion's belt on a clear night
** being in love
** cheese
** organizing
** close friends
** starting a cross stitch project
** finding lost misplaced items
** morning coffee outside
** samplers
** chocolate
** traveling
** laying in bed
** pasta
** freshly painted nails
** fabric
** primitives
** punchneedle
** a finished piece
** wikipedia
** a clean house
** shopping at my LNS
** Cameron telling me he loves me & smiling
** Jose telling me I'm pretty cool

Talk soon...

shows open!

Run on over to the Online Needlework Show and check out all the venues. Get your list flowing and head to your LNS so they can pony up...lol. Anyway, you know the drill...Talk soon!

"good news" post

I said I had "good news" to share in my last post. At least good news to my eyes. On Saturday, my LNS called to say two of my stitched pieces were framed and ready for pick up. I didn't waste any time. Now, please forgive my photography because I'm no photographer, but more importantly, I don't own a good camera anymore so I do my best with what I have.



The Sampler Lady by Little House Needleworks

I must raise my own needle with this one. I love, love, love the framework on this piece. It matches perfectly with the floral-work in the design and that's why I picked it. I could not be happier about the finish. Kathy, at my LNS, did a superb job!

Schoolgirl Lessons by Little House Needleworks

Again, I'm very pleased with how this design turned out all framed. I liked the beaded edging and for a reason I can't quite put my needle on, I thought it went well with the design (shrugging my shoulders). You may not notice, but around the edges of the beading there is slight hints of red which between that and the Country Vintage linen (that has hints of green), the red Belle Soie I used really pops. It's a dainty piece and I like that.

I finished both these LHN design in 2009 but because of my divorce that ensued afterwards, getting them framed took a backseat. A lot took a backseat, but these ladies are framed and home with fresh walls and a new slate of life.

My late-Aunt Lora stitched this for my mother (her sister) when I was born. Don't know who the designer is, but my mother told me it is stamped cross stitch. I'm divulging quite a bit of personal information about my self in this photo (lol), but I thought it was more important to demonstrate that all the women in my family are needle-crafters.

I'm a 4th generation cross stitcher and I take great pride in that. Since I don't have much to show for in the way of hand-me-downs from my dear Aunt Lora, who passed away from brain cancer when I was 17, I wanted to share what she made. Mom gave this to me over the weekend. I often walked around the homes of all my "mothers" and was envious of all their earlier pieces, some childhood handwork and some that they created for others, especially those no longer with us. I'm going to cherish this piece no matter how juvenile it may be. It's vibrant, cheerful, in great condition, and it's something my Aunt Lora stitched for her sister, my mom.

As everyone knows, Aunt Pam and I are extremely close. She has a piece of needlework in her kitchen that she did at a very young age (possibly between 6-10 years of age) that I'd love to have one day. In fact, Aunt Pam has tons of giant samplers worked all throughout her home - amazing stuff! Unfortunately for me, Aunt Pam has a daughter (my cousin Kari) that will, more than likely, inherit these treasured pieces.

This is all my good news for now. We've had several severe thunderstorms over the last couple months and we'll continue to have more. Today was gorgeous and tomorrow shouldn't be too bad. It's been difficult to take good pictures with all this happening...Take care and Talk soon!