Some Stitching...

Hello friends!

It's a bright, sunny, almost warm day in SE Michigan today and I got to get outside to take a picture of my latest finish.  This is a hornbook (well, it will be once I get a hornbook and mount it) designed by Elizabeth Talledo (Dames of the Needle) and is in the current issue of Just CrossStitch magazine.  The second I saw this sweet little design, with its perfect colors and beautiful font, I knew I had to stitch it.  Elizabeth has said that there will also be more smalls to go along with this.  I hope I have enough velvet ricrac!  I stitched this exactly as called for but added another leg to the Nun stitch border so it's more of a box stitch finish.  My ricrac is also a deeper reddish/pink than the one Elizabeth used but that's just because I happened to have it on hand.  

Can't wait for the extra pieces!

The hornbooks are going to be a year long series in JCS so make sure to get your copy, now!

A few months ago, my guild had what we call a designer day.  This year it was 

Plum Street Samplers.  In addition to bringing anything we had stitched by Paulette we were challenged to stitch and finish her "To Thine Own Self be True" freebie and finish it however we envisioned.  I thought you might like to see some of the creative finishes that were shown.  There are more but I seem to have lost that picture (typical).  Mine is the one in the center - the little book.

And just to reassure you that I still had a fun Christmas despite missing Tyler here are a couple of pics/stories I thought I'd share with you.

The ugly sweater party was on Saturday night.  

Saturday afternoon we still didn't have anything to wear. 

While out shopping, I wandered into an Urban Outfitters store and saw these atrocious cactus looking things on sale for $15 each in the men's department.  

I quickly snagged up two of the fifty or so that were left 

and 

beelined it for the check-out line.  

Treasures in hand, I hurried home with my finds to show Rob.  

Of course he was busy watching football or something when I got home so I just took them upstairs to wait till time to get ready.

When I took them out of the bag, I realized that uh-oh, those aren't cacti, no sir,

they're pot leaves!

You'll notice that even the star on top isn't straight!

We wore them anyway.

I don't know if folks at the party were more amused that we wore them 

or that I bought them without realizing what they were.

As one friend at the party said, I guess this will be forever known as our

Childless, Cannabis Christmas.

LOL.

We also had our Christmas work party in December.  Or if you work for the government like I do, you can't say it's a Christmas party - it has to be a holiday party - blah, blah, blah.  It's always a lot of fun but this year, my dear friend Lisa and I had an extra good time.  Not sure why - could have been the shots at the bar or maybe it was just the holiday spirit that got us.  Anyway, we decided the best way to take a selfie was to lay flat on your back so that your facial wrinkles sort of fall away.  We had to test our theory and I'm not sure it really worked but we were hysterical, nonetheless.

Love this girl!

We also had to thank our bartender Dave for the great job he did mixing our drinks!

Here's hoping your holiday was full of laughter, too!

Thank you for the warm welcome back and for all your lovely comments!  

You're the best!

Love and Peace,

XOXO

Terri

P.S., Tyler survived the gas chamber with no problem.... now to get past swim week!

Fingers crossed and prayers appreciated!

Guess Who's Posting?

Dear friends!

     It has been a very long time since I've felt like writing anything for this blog.  Why?  Oh, you know... life.  It has been a kind of hard couple of years (yes, years!) and try as I might to sound cheerful and upbeat, it just wasn't working anymore so rather than post about the blahs, I chose not to post, at all.  I have been on Instagram and Facebook because they don't take as much time or thought.  You don't have to write a lot, just quickly post a picture or a note and you're done.  Blogging, to me, is more personal and requires some time and organization that I wasn't willing to devote time to.  Blogging is more personal.  I've missed it.  More importantly, I've missed YOU!!!  If you're still a follower, thank you!!!  With that, there will be no more.

              No more wallowing.  No more excessive worrying.  No more waiting.  No more pity parties!

It's time to blog!  

First things first.  I'm excited to tell you that my son Tyler is at boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina.  He will become a Marine when he completes his training  This has been a long time dream for Tyler and he didn't get to boot camp without overcoming some serious obstacles.  A bad lapse of judgement on his part before his senior year in high school almost kept him out of the service altogether and he had to fight hard to earn the priveledge.  As it is, he will be a reservist when he's done and will continue his schooling, too.  Boot camp, for the Marines, is a 13 week process that is in no way easy - major understatement!  Other than letters, there is no communication for those 13 weeks.  Well, other than a 30 second, scripted phone call the night they arrive at the island that ends with "thank you for your support", then click, it's over.  Unfortunately for Tyler, he busted his wrist the 2nd week of training and had to be in a medical platoon for five weeks.  This time does not count towards the 13 weeks of training :-( but he is back at it now and is doing well.  He missed Thanksgiving, will miss Christmas and New Years Years and his birthday but he will graduate from boot camp on February 14, 2014 (2/14/2014) which is prettty cool.  I'm very proud of how he fought back to get this opportunity and the letters I've received from him are priceless!!  I can't wait to see him in the U.S. Marine uniform in February!

I am also thrilled to have my son Matt home for the holidays, as well.  He is doing great and has grown his hair quite long.  When long enough, he will donate it.  He is lucky and has gorgeous hair with pretty curls so it will make someone a beautiful wig, I'm sure.

 I have been hitting estate sales now and then and have had some glorious finds!  Finding a treasure is a sure way to boost your spirits, if only for a little while.  This is one of my favorites - it's a surveyors tri-pod which I picked up for $5 and am now using it as the base for a Santos doll.  I had the doll bust but not a cage for it.  When I saw this, I knew it'd be perfect and it is!  What do you think?

Vintage tri-pod turned santos doll cage.

Beautiful, Santos Doll.

Because I can't get this video to move, it's a bit out of place but it's kind of humorous and shows one of my finishes for this year.   I did get it off and fixed..... 

Some of my other estate sale finds since last we met:

Little boxes...

Drawers and boxes make great hiding places!

Glorious, old buttons!

Beautiful, big buttons.

Sweet button card.

Beautiful Bluebird button card

Vintage, German linens 

Vintage, German pin cushion.

Felt dolls from the 1920's?

 I made this little Maggie bunny over the summer.   The pattern is from rosylittlethings.typepad.com  I just love her!

I guess I'll leave you with some stitching photos.... why not!?  You may have seen these if you're on Facebook or Instagram.  If you have, my apologies for the repeats!

Snooty Stitchers Society
Snooty Parrots SAL for 2014
designs by Barbara Ana

Plum Street Samplers, Mary's Sampler II

Plum Street Samplers Favorite Fonts Sampler

With thy Needle and Thread's Forget Me Not Sampler

I guess that's enough for today, right?  Don't want to totally overload you or your computer.  I have missed you all and am feeling a lot better so am sure I'll be a better blogger!   I have tried to keep up with your posts but I see today that I have a LOT of catching up to do.

I wish you all lots of love and happiness for Christmas and I hope your blessings are abundant in the coming year.

xoxo

Peace,

Terri