All My Stitching 2013

It's May already, and I'm just posting a recap of everything I stitched in 2013.  Here it all is.  Everything here was begun and finished in 2013 except the Cottage Sampler, that was started in 2012.  Not too shabby for someone with carpal tunnel all year. (got that taken care of a couple of months ago).
A freebie from Little House Needleworks ( I love Raggedy Anns!)

A Prairie Schooler freebie:

A kit from a British Stitching Magazine last year:

pattern download from Sewingseed on etsy:

another Prairie Schooler:

design from British magazine:

from a very old British pattern I got on ebay a few years ago:

Last year's Frosted Pumpkin monthly Woodland Sampler:

                                                                                                                                                                               

and another etsy download:  Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights 

 

 

 a beautiful free pattern from Plum Street Samplers blog:
Mary's Sampler

Little House Needleworks: Something Old, Something New

Made these into Christmas Ornaments:  Patterns from "The Little Stitcher"

I'll add more later :)  Happy Stitching.  Check older posts, too, for more stitching and family news!

 

May (I say hello)?

Robin successfully completed her first year of college, and turned 18.  Wow.  I am so proud of her!

 I had saved a draft of what I wanted to post with all of my stitching pics, but the draft disappeared!  I did participate in a Springtime Cross Stitch exchange through Dixie Sampler's blog, which was a lot of fun.  Here is a my wonderful package from Amy:

Here is the beautiful pin keep she stitched for me:

Here is what I stitched:

This little sweetie is from the new Spring kit from Lizzie Kate - Song of Spring.  The ornament was for my exchange partner, and then I also made the little scissor fob. 

 

More later!  Byzies!

Poster Girl

What fun!  I got to be a poster girl (not a pin up girl tee hee!)  for the Boone County Public Library's new promotion.  It was a lot of fun to be photographed with some of my favorite movies!  The posters will be on the library facebook page and in all the branch libraries starting next week for National Library Week.  Just so you know, I recommend these titles:  The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, Casablanca, and Harvey. 

2014...So far

After putting it off for a few years...I had to get carpal tunnel surgery.  I couldn't use my hands effectively, dropped things continually, and was in serious pain.  I didn't want to do it!  But, I had no choice, and had both hands done at the end of January.  I am so glad I did!!! I had a wonderful doctor who always played music in his office and during the surgery.  He asked if I minded Willie Nelson, and I am a big fan of Willie's so that worked out well. The surgery went quickly, and the doctor even sang with Willie during the procedure to Georgia, and other songs.  I opted to have both hands done at the same time, and was only able to because my daughter is the finest person on earth.  She lovingly did everything to help me, and I cannot well express my gratitude to her.  I am at last going back to work tomorrow, and I am stitching again!  Yay!!!

Big news:  we have a new member to our family.  We got Trudy this past Monday.  The little darling was at our favorite rescue place:  Barely Used Pets.  Holly and Honey came from there also.  Trudy is 7, nearly 8, and has spent every day of her life in a tiny cage as a breeding dog in an Amish puppy mill.  I am so livid that these places are still in existence and allowed to continue.  You will surely here me rant about that more later.  Here is the photo that was posted of her that made me fall in love:

Robin named her Trudy, but of course she has many love names and I call her TuTu.  She is beyond amazing, and so very brave.  By the second day she had bonded with the others, two days ago she learned how to go up and down stairs, and today, day 7, she actually asked at the door to go out and go potty.  She is so tiny, maybe 6 lbs. or so.  Today she also discovered squeaky toys and had a wonderful time.  I'll share more about her later!

Robin meeting Trudy - St.Patrick's Day 2014

Our first moments together! 

2013

I missed posting for the second half of last year - meaning I didn't do it and I wanted to do it, but ongoing issues with carpal tunnel prevented me.  Highlights:  Robin started college!  I kept my stitching goals, including one Christmas ornament per month, as well as other pieces.  I'll share photos as soon as I can figure out this different computer and how to get photos from camera onto it.  Many blessings!

Springtime and 17

Posts have been so sparse as the at-home computor will not allow picture posting, and I havn't stayed after hours at work.  Such a lovely spring!  This morning as I was leaving the house, the sky was bright blue with fluffywhite clouds, the sun was shining brightly, and there was a sudden gentle downpour of rain.  It was magical.  Maybe I'm just in a romantic mood.  The flowers everywhere I go are so lovely.  I am working on my annulment, which feels really good.  Robin is apply to colleges for fall, and enjoying her drawing and artwork, as well as working on another shockingly difficult puzzle.  2000 pieces that all look alike, and to top it off she's doing it on top of the last two puzzles that are still on the desk upstairs, making it even more difficult - too busy a background.  I don't know how she does it!

Robin turned 17 on April 18th.  We celebrated by going to one of our favorite eating establishments = Red Robin. 

We also had a little party, it was so fun.  She did a little happy dance!:

The dress, robin necklace, and shoes were her birthday gift from me.  So cute!We decorated with homemade banners, played games, and served chicken salad croissants, chips, green beans, salad, cake, and mango punch.  It was so good!  She was gifted with some gift cards, so we got to do a little shopping.  She found this beautiful butterfly dress and owl necklace at Charming Charlie - a really girly fun place to shop - both for $20! 

There is a pre-school where I work, and one of the moms took some photos of Robin.  They are truly lovely. I'll share a few:

A few months ago Robin saw a really cute knitted crab hat in my Molly Makes magazine, and has been determined to knit it.  We finally found the right yarn and she knit the whole thing in less than 24 hours.  I sewed the eyes on it.  Isn't it just adorable silly sweet?  I'm so proud of her!  I haven't knit in so long since I've gotten back into counted cross stitch in a big way - to stay!  I'm working on a Little House Needleworks Christmas freebie chart, "Merry Hearts", which I love. 
  Here's the hat part:

and here's the final crab hat, on a not at all crab:

(Of course, it's pulled down for comic effect!)

Almost Easter!

This Lent has flown by.  Many blessings.  I made a big change last week.  After vowing I would NEVER cut OR color my hair - I did both.  Here is the before and after:

 

 

Anyway, this is a big change for me.  Wow is it easier.  Really seems to help with the hot flashes too.
I do miss my white hair a bit too, but I can grow it back sometime (may have to wear a hat for a few months to do it :)). Here is my lovely girl in a top she bought herself with babysitting money:

 

Anyway, my big project, stitching the Country Cottage Needlworks Cottages of the Month was completed last night.  I really loved stitching this and it makes me so happy.  I can't stop looking at it!  I started it in June 2012 and stitched on it everyday since then, excepting for a couple of days here and there.  It is done on 14 count white aida cloth with DMC floss. 

Whew.  This is very special for me for many reasons, and my absolute favorite part is that my darling girl agreed (even though she is definately not a stitcher) to make one stitch in this for me.  She did the top of the "r" in December - my birth month.  Thanks sweetie!  I also love that in April, Robin's birth month, the birds have been changed to Robins.  Now I'm already on to my next project, started within minutes of finishing this one!  Photos to follow, of course. 
Here's one last view - who greeted me on my way in to work yesterday morning.  A very friendly crow.  We had a lovely exchange of morning wishes!  Same to you, friends!  Wishing you a blessed Holy Week.