Monday, June 29, 2009
ABOUT FACE!
I'm doing it on 14 ct. antique ivory aida. I'm enjoying working on it because it is so simple stitching on it versus fighting linen. The DMC threads are a welcome change from overdyes.
I'm going to enjoy doing this one!
Monday, June 22, 2009
TOTALLY USELESS SAL
I started looking for a creative way to store and display my goodies. I paid a trip to the local Hobby Lobby and found these neat glass (I guess!) balls and started loading them up. No, I don't think I'll make a Christmas tree from them. Maybe place them in a pretty glass bowl so that the multi-colors will show up well.
Friday, June 19, 2009
SOME FINISHES
Marty Bell has long been a favorite of mine. This is Morning's Glow. It's all connected to the English thing I have. I've now completed these three: one for each of my grandchildren. I actually framed it myself- how impressive is that!! It sits on my Marty Bell wall. Just to the left you can see part of my Jane Austen wall. Sometimes I have a small smattering of the organization thing. Not very often, though. You should see my kitchen table!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
NEW ISSUE!
In the meantime, the Blackbird Designs StitchALong starts Saturday. I'm doing "Autumn Bouquet" and chart, fabby and threads are at hand just waiting......
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Martha Jo Wafer Byers was an amazing person.
She was a true redhead. The last few years she spent most of the time without hair because of her chemo, but when she had hair, it was glorious. I could always tell when she was at the needlework shop when I pulled on the parking lot. Her car tag read "JOJORED". She, to my knowledge, never wore a wig. A do rag was her cup of tea.
Jo loved to stitch. And she did beautiful work. The one piece that stand out in my mind was the Christmas stocking she made for her stepson, James. And even if she felt bad, she was at Tuesday night stitching.
Jo has a sister named Pat. I've actually known Pat longer than Jo. They not only were sisters, but best friends. Where one was, the other was somewhere nearby. I never had a sister. Brother either, for that matter. That type of love passed me by and for that I'm so sorry. Pat is numb right now, but in the weeks to come she will face a life without Jo, as we all will. But the love of a sister must be so special. I see it in my two granddaughters.
Jo was a fighter. Even when the breast cancer occurred and re-occurred, even when it spread to her bones, she kept going. And this week it entered her brain with a vengeance. She was gone so soon. For that I think I'm grateful. I don't think she would have liked to linger as she would have been. Jo was healed yesterday. For the rest of us, especially Pat, we have just begun to hurt, much less be healed.
There is a good side to this story. Jo was a Christian and that means that one day we'll be sitting in some one's mansion, in Heaven, laughing and stitching. This time with the finest linen and solid gold thread. And Jo will have her red hair back. And Pat will be with her sister. All the pain will be gone: the suffering kind and the missing kind.
I have been stitching on a pink bear this week. With a purple hat with pink ribbons on it. It is to be a donation to Stitching For A Cure. I was going to write an "in honor" of Jo on the jacket. Then I thought it would become an "in memory of". I've changed my mind. It will stay as I planned. Jo is still alive in her family and friends. It's sitting in the chair facing me, waiting to be finished.
So, Jo, fly now. There's so much to see in Heaven, so I know the stitching will be put aside for a while. Enjoy yourself. You're free now.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
TWO WEEKS OF HARD WORK!
I've finally started finishing some projects I started a LONG time ago (plus a few small thingys).
The Amazing Grace pillow is for my granddaughter (yes, Grace is her name!). I don't remember the specifics because I did the stitching a couple of years ago. I bought the fabby and had it finished- I thought- until I saw the neat trim. So back to the drawing board. It will probably be her birthday gift.
The JBW designs are old. I dipped into the fabric stash and finally finished them. I had started off thinking I would make knob knockers, but since I have several more of the designs to do, I've decided to place them all in a special basket. As soon as I find a "special" basket.
Say Grace is going into the basket, too. I plan to do a couple more of them as gifts. A really quick stitch.
The two pincushions are made from the freebie on Blackbird Designs blog. I did the first one (pink) and was shopping for the backing fabric. I found the fab but also another piece I liked more. So back to the needle and thread (this time Belle Soir's Chester Blue and Lagoon).
So here's the latest. Plus all the cleaning closets I've done!
Well, back to watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It's the first time I've seen it. Love it!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
SIXTY FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
NOW I KNOW!
Thanks a bunch, Jeannine. Check out this site. A lot of great pieces:
http://www.handworksamplers.net/