If you can spare a prayer of positive thought...

I am adding a link to a Blog that is on my sidebar...if you have a moment, please visit Emma Lee's Blog...it is documenting her brave struggle with cancer, and she could definitely use any extra prayers possible at this point, as could her family. She is a courageous woman, and a fantastic singer... http://raisinghopeforemmalee.blogspot.com/
Marion

I'm BAAAAAAAACK.......just saying...

Good morning! I am back...I've been thinking about restarting this for sometime, and decided that the first day of school....a new beginning for each of my children, would be a good day for me to have a new beginning with this Blog!!

So, my oldest daughter starts community college today, my son starts grade 12, and my youngest starts High School (grade 9) so, busy and challenging years for all three!

This summer just flew by...and it certainly wasn't because the weather was great...it wasn't...two days we made it to the beach...TWO DAYS!

I did start a part-time job in June.....I am working as a merchandiser for American Greeting Cards...(Carlton Cards)....just a few hours a week, and it is flexible...perfect for what I was looking for. I do enjoy it...money isn't great, but hey, it updates my resume, and gets me out there!

My best friend got married July 31, and is moving the end of this month to another province...I will miss her greatly, but I am happy for her. Most of July was spent working on her wedding gift...I made her a swedish weaving blanket....in record time...3 weeks!! ( I only had a month notice of her wedding...so was cutting it short!)

I have been stitching here and there...trying to dig out some of my UFO's and put some stitches in them......."Seven Days of Creation" has gotten some of my attention....and I have finished Jenny Bean...."Creation Sampler".

My goal for today...when everyone, including DH has left the house....ENJOY MY SECOND CUP OF COFFEE.....AND STITCH!!

Have a great day everyone!! Take time to enjoy "the little things".

Marion

A WEEKEND AWAY!

This past weekend, my best friend, myself and my oldest daughter drove to Maine! We stayed for three nights, shopped, visited my friend's cousin that lives in Bangor, ate out.....it was fantastic!

We enjoyed waffles at the Hotel each morning, chatted with the stuffed bear in the lobby of the Hotel, my daughter was fascinated with the phone booth also in the Hotel lobby....and she came up with fantastic deals! (So did we, but aren't a size 0, or 1).....


Anyway, no stitching done this past weekend!!

Take care everyone! I hope everyone had a Blessed Easter!

Marion

STILL ALIVE AND BREATHING (most of the time)

Geesh.....one would think that I left the planet on occasion. I cannot for the life of me keep posting more frequently. I sit here and browse the wonderful Blogs that I visit regularly...sometimes I comment...sometimes I don't....but why, oh why can I not post to my own Blog???

I have been a bit stressed lately...my DH has his own Business and it has been rather slow lately...we are not destitute by any means, we will be fine, but it is stressful. He has been sending out resumes lately...looking to add on to what he currently does, or getting something fulltime and just doing what he does now part-time or in the evening...so a good thought or prayer for this situation would be greatly appreciated. I know things will turn around at some point.

I have been stitching lately....I have been working on a few WIP's...none that I really took photos of though.....but I will one of these days.

I do have a finish though!! This is my Lizzie Kate FlipiTBits....I made it into a Bellpull...what do you all think? I do like it...it's very colourful and much better looking in person than the photo.

If anyone is interested in the 12 charts....they are available for $5.00 including postage to the US and Canada. (for the 12).

IS THERE ANY READERS OUT THERE..THAT..CAN..HELP?

I would LOVE to have the latest issue of "Sampler & Antique Needlework magazine...and have exhausted my efforts to locate it locally. I tried a couple of places online, but they either want payment by credit card (I do paypal)...or it costs a fortune because I am in Canada....I'd gladly pay all shipping costs...etc....if you can help out and will accept paypal. Thanks!! Marion

Framed!

This is Hallow Eden by Plum Street Samplers...I have had this one done for a while, but just got around to framing it yesterday...I'm pleased with the results!!

I had the fabric on hand (32 count) so went with what I had...I love the colour of the fabric with the thread colours....

Thanks for looking....it's a quiet day here today.....

one of those days when I can't get out of my own way! LOL

Take care

Marion

A Necessary Post..

Yesterday was my Birthday, and I spent a nice day at home....we will celebrate officially this weekend when my son turns 17.....
all day yesterday though, all I could think of was what a loss the stitching world has endured yesterday, with the tragic death of Lisa from The Primitive Needle . My thoughts and prayers go out to her family at this terribly sad time. I loved her designs, and have one stitched and framed, and hanging in my hallway.
On that note...hug your family...we just never know!!

Take care everyone
Marion

I SUCK....BIGTIME....

I am such a BAD, BAD blogger!! Here I sit, almost a month later, with no updated posts in between...yet I sit here and read all my favourite Blogs and admire how they update, show beautiful photos......and say "I need to do that"....do I? NO!!

No excuse, none what so ever...not ever going to try and come up with one!!!

SO....what have I been doing lately? Well, my youngest two have just ended a two week February break from school. Normally we have "March Break" in this province, and will do so again next year, but The Canada Games took place in our capital city, and since our school district is part of the city area of schools.....they had two weeks off.....they gave up a few extra days at Christmas to do this. Mind you, it was nice to be off, but the weather was not the best, and we couldn't really do much...and I know come March Break time...when all the rest of the province is off, they will be wanting to be off too.......

On the stitching front....I cannot wait until March 1, which is actually my Birthday, so that I can order some new Market Releases from a couple of my favourite designers....why wait you ask? Because I am part of The Birthday Club at Downsunshine Lane so want to take advantage of that....

I have gotten a few of my WIP's out and stitched on them.....currently I am working on Jenny Bean's Humble Servant Sampler...and liking it....I started it a while ago, and recently picked it up again....it's on 40 count linen that I had in my stash....

Next up is my Seven Days of Creation by Plum Street Samplers...I do love this design, and want to get it finished up and framed...And finally, I did do some more stitching on My Lizzie Kate..Flip iT Bits....still can't decide if I will frame this, or turn it into a Bell Pull...I do have some nice Bell Pull hardware in my stash...any thoughts on this?
So now it's off to make my morning coffee and say a prayer that we will actually get out today....we had rain yesterday and a flash freeze (apparently) and snow last night...oh joy, oh bliss........

Until next time, which I PROMISE will be sooner than later!!!

Take care everyone

Marion

TGIF....again..

I've been stitching on things that I have already had in my stash or WIP pile...have not bought a single thing this year (okay, I know it's only January)....anyway, I think I will have to bite the bullet and purchase the new release by Paulette over at Plum Street samplers when she releases it at market.......

First up, is my Lizzie Kate...I'm really liking how this is turning out, and will get back to it soon, but felt like I needed a break, so went stash diving in my large WIP pile and came up with something else to work on....
so.....I came up with Plum Street Samplers "Queen's Crowns", which I had started a few months ago. As you can see, I changed the name on the bottom from Gloriana to my last name. I came up with that idea because it was just so easy to do...and I'm liking the results! I can see this framed some day in a nice black frame...what do you all think??



The box that is in the above photo is a box my son made me at school and gave to me this week. I just love it!!! I'm thinking I will get him to put the year on the bottom...he may want to pass this down to his family some day! I have it sitting on my small curio cabinet in the hallway at the moment. My son is very talented....
Anyway, off to get ready to get the day started. We got hit with a blast of winter again yesterday, so everyone was home and inside.....not so today....
Have a good one everyone!!
Marion

ANOTHER WEEK...ANOTHER POST...

Good morning!! How was everyone's week? I was Blog surfing this week.....lots and lots of wonderful posts! I left a comment or two, but rest assured, I was visiting all my Blogs...

DH and I are supposed to go to a concert in the city tonight...and wouldn't you know it...it's supposed to storm! I hope we make it in there before it gets too bad...we so rarely do this that I cannot believe it's going to storm on us! LOL

I have been working on my Lizzie Kate this week...I'm liking how this is progressing...can't wait to finish it and get it framed.......the colour of the fabric in this photo is not the true colour...but you get the idea....

As you know...I LOVE Plum Street Samplers designs...well, I discovered an older design of hers while surfing this week...I did not know it existed....."The Fall of Man".....have any of you ever done this design??? I'll have to try and locate this for my collection of Plum Street designs.....

Anyway, off to do some much dreaded housework...take care everyone! Love to know you visited...my poor blog is not attracting many comments these days...

Marion

A LITTLE PROGRESS.....AND SNOW...

Good morning!

After a wild snowy afternoon/evening....we awoke this am to the announcement that there IS school. So, I had two very unhappy teenagers.....youngest in particular who tried to get me to let her stay home anyway! LOL....That being said..this is a child that has perfect attendance!
Last night before it got too dark.....youngest and Nallie dog went out to play.....Nallie dog backed out of the playing before my daughter, and waited impatiently on the front porch for daughter to finish playing.....

I made a bit of progress on my stitching yesterday...I've moved on to February!!! I am really enjoying stitching these...can't wait to finish!!

Before I forget....Carolyn, over at "Just One More Stitch" is having a great giveaway....hop on over and sign up.
Well take care everyone...stay safe...

Marion

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM?

Good morning everyone!

We are awaiting a Nor'easter here....expected to get lots of snow this afternoon/evening....

I have a pot of soup in my slow cooker, buns waiting to be served with it, and a Dutch Apple Pie out of the oven........and my stitching.....

I've restarted this 3 times...(thus the post title).....Lizzie Kate's Flip it Bits......this time is the charm...I hope!! Throughout the course of the last year, my long time online friend sent me the entire year of these Flip it's....and all the sampler threads to do them! I am really looking forward to actually finishing these and hopefully once I get moving it won't be a long process....

First time I started them, I started on a light blue (what was I thinking!?!) fabric, stitching over one (I am not a big "over one" kind of stitcher).....that went by the wayside...then I restarted...this time on 32 count fabric...but it was too light and the colours were getting washed out....so.....back to fabric diving in my bin....and I found a perfect colour! This is 28 count, which I was hoping not to go with, but hey, if it works and it's in my fabric stash.....so be it.....

I'm pleased with the results so far...and I hope to get a lot done this afternoon on it...

Take care everyone...have a great day...and if you are in a snowy area...stay warm and safe!

Marion

MY FAM....

Notice the absence of males...(they are camera shy)....and I am usually the photographer (my excuse anyway)....

Marion

ALWAYS GET THE RECIPE!

My mom passed away 4 years ago.....before that she suffered from alzheimers.......before her alzheimers got the best of her, she made the best rice pudding for my oldest daughter (according to my daughter...I don't like rice pudding).....I never paid attention to HOW she made it...what she did that was so special, and any recipe that I have tried does not match my mom's.......I have all her recipes....but that is not written anywhere....last night I made pan-fried haddock....my mom made THE BEST pan-fried haddock....I wish I could have called her and asked HOW she made hers so good....mine was a miserable excuse for pan-fried haddock..something that seems so simple...same thing for her fish cakes...meat loaf.......soup...these were all fantastic when mom made them...problem is those "recipes" were in her head....now lost forever......so...just saying....ALWAYS GET THE RECIPE!

On a brighter note...I have been working on "Seven Days of Creation" for the past couple of days...another wonderful design by Paulette of Plum Street Samplers...I love this design, but needed to put it down for a while....my mojo for it has returned.

We are supposed to be getting some snow this weekend, so I think that I will put on a pot of chili tomorrow morning, so that we can have that for supper and other than that...I don't have to go anywhere, ofcourse I will be shack wacky by the time the weather clears.....but is that really any different from the normal me???? LOL

Have a great day everyone!

BACK TO THE GRIND..AND DAY 1 OF WHAT I WANT TO STITCH/FINISH...

Good chilly morning everyone!!
Back to the grind today...kids have gone back to school.....new year has begun......

I was making a mental note of what I want to finish stitching and what I want to stitch in 2011. This year I did not (as many of you on other blogs as well) start something new on January 1. I have so many beautiful charts in my stash that I want to stitch, and some of those I have as WIP's, so I will concentrate on those.....this is just day 1 of what I want to show you that I will be working on!!
First up...Mary Margaret by Carriage House Samplings....I picked this up again on the weekend...I really do love this design. In the heart on the tree I stitched the initials of my three children, rather than M M.....and I think it's a nice personal touch. I want to get this finished in 2011.
The Queen's Crowns, by Plum Street Samplers...I love this design too! I realized when I was stitching this that I could substitute my last name for Gloriana without too much trouble......so that's what I'm doing....again, I want to finish this design in 2011.

From the Deep, by Plum Street Samplers...I am almost done this design, and plan on hanging it in the master bath.......one of these days in 2011. So this is just a peek of what I have started, and what I want to finish in 2011!! Stay tuned for more in another post....
Have a great day...
Marion

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM MY HOUSE TO YOURS..

Happy New Year!!! May 2011 bring you peace, joy, good health and lots of stitching!!
I have New Year's resolutions...haven't made any for a few years, but decided this was the year to change a few things.....
Take care
Marion