I just can't sew anymore

I hope everyone is having a better day than mine.  Started out this morning waking up to find my laptop had gone berserk and I needed to buy a new one.  All of my patterns for my embroidery machine are on there so I'm praying they are able to retrieve them.  I have about two hundred patterns so we're talking quite a bit of money.  Off i went to  Best buy which I hate and bought a new HP.  Here's hoping that John is able to retrieve everything because my old one kept coming up with the message that I had no mother board.  Great beginning right?

So I came home and decided to do some finishing work and I couldn't sew a straight line to save  my life.  Don't look too close please because it's embarrassing how crooked they are.

.....and since laptop died, I'm using my kindle to post this and it seems to take forever to upload pictures.

I do have some good news to report.  Peyton has discovered a support group for her trigeminal neuralgia and one of the hospitals here in Orlando is having two guest doctors speak on Wednesday evening and we are both going to it.  October 4th is Trigeminal  Neurogia Awareness Day and I just wanted everyone to be aware  of this disease and how it effects people's lives.  There is my grand daughter with two little boys who can't kiss her or she them because of the extreme pains she feels.  I can't imagine anything worse than not being able to kiss your babies.  The color ribbon for this disease is teal if you are interested.

Until next time, many Blessings upon you and yours, Barbara

A Finish......YEAH

Greetings ladies and here's hoping you are having a fantastic Thursday.  I have a finish that I would like to share with you.  This is Blackbird Designs Garland Fair done on a mystery light green 32ct linen using DMC Variations 4000.  I framed it with it mounted on a dark brown checkered flannel in a store bought frame.  

I'm not entirely satisfied about this but will let it sit for a few days till I make up my mind.  I was wondering if I should do a blanket stitch around the stitched piece and attach it to the flannel at the same time.  Ideas welcomed.

Blessings, Barbara

Good day ladies and here's hoping the first day of Autumn finds you in good cheer.  I love the colors of Autumn but unfortunately I have to get my fill through photos and not in person.  Florida just doesn't have the beautiful fall colors that I'm use to from Pennsylvania.  I can still see in my minds eye the mountains when they change color and it's Mother Nature at her best.  Oh the lucky ones who see this out their front door!

I've been working hard on Garland Fair and I'm coming down to the last 1/3 of the chart.  I'm taking Terri's advice and counting and recounting my stitches so I come out at the end where I'm suppose to be.  This is what I have finished so far and I must tell you I love working with the DMC Variations threads.  They have some stunning colors.

Have you heard that DMC is coming out with some colors with sparkle added to them?  I can't wait to see these in person.  Imagine them added to Christmas or Halloween designs to give it that extra punch.  Here are the colors they are coming out with.  I know I'll be haunting my Joann's until they get some in.  I understand that they will be available online in October but I hate paying shipping charges.

I was bitten by the fabric bug the other day and picked up some real cuties for project bags.  The two at the top I did buy online just because I couldn't find them here in Orlando and I have a dear friend who enables me a lot with pictures of fabric.  You know who you are.....Linda.  They are for knitting bags.

I baby sat Zane last nite till late so today I'm pretty bushed.  I didn't get to bed till after Midnite and that's wayyyyyyy past my bedtime.  I was babysitting him so Peyton and John could take Little John to the Disney World where they have made a fun haunted house for ages 2 to 8.  They were to come in costume and here's out big boy dressed up like one of his favorite characters....Cat Boy.  For those who have no idea who Cat Boy is, he is one of the characters in the kids show PJ Masks.  At nite these little kids turn into super heros wearing their pj's.  Cute right?

Well that's all for now.  I hope you all have a fantastic weekend and for those that were in the hurricane's path, I hope your damage was minimal.

Blessings, Barbara

To My Friends In Storm Area

Please, please be careful.  Almost a year ago to the day we here in Florida had hurricane Irma hit us and I know what we went through.  I don't want any of my blog friends getting hurt or any of their loved ones.  If they say to evacuate do it!  Mother Nature is one thing that we can not control and when she unleashes her fury, you better be far away.  Hurricanes are very hard to predict which way they are going to go, so leave while there is still time to get out of dangers path.  All my prayers are with you at this time and I hope each and every one of you come thru okay.

Blessings Upon You, Barbara

P.S.  A picture of what the DMC Variations looks like for the new project Garland Fair.

Some Updates

I sure hope everyone's week started out with a bang and not a clang.  Mine of course was laundry day and after the dinner we had last with the kids, I needed a morning nap first.  It being Peyton's birthday she got to pick the restaurant so off we went to Texas de Brazil here in Orlando.  If you have one of these in your area, I highly recommend it.  It's a very different kind of eating experience.  You go up to the salad bar and get your veggies and such and then men come around with meat on long skewers and cut you off a slice of whatever meat they happen to have on it.  It ranges from filet mignon to bacon wrapped chicken.  Here is a link to the main website in case you're interested.  If you are not full when you leave there, it's your own fault.  I was in misery!!!!!

https://texasdebrazil.com/

Peyton did finish her Harry Potter castle and here it is with Little John just dieing to get at it. 

Now to figure out how to display it.  If anyone has any ideas, please don't hesitate to let me know.

I have a small finish to share.  It's called "Hocus Pocus Halloween" by Heart in Hand and it takes no time at all to stitch.  I have a problem with some of the designers doing these small designs but asking you to spend a fortune on the hand dyed threads so that it turns out like theirs.  I'm just not doing it anymore.  I had 3 of the hand dyed in my stash and the rest I did with DMC which she gave you the comparison colors.  Unfortunately, not all designers do this and that's what I really have a problem with.  Am I the only one?

I have a collection of these different colored threads and I've decided to use them as braids for some of my ornaments.  They are called "Painter's Threads".

Here he is all finished and ready to be hung for Little John's birthday.

I'm starting an old Blackbird Designs project called "Garland Fair" but I'm not using the threads they called for.  They wanted Maple Syrup by Gentle Arts and I'm using one of the DMC Color Variations #4000.  It has greys and about 3 different shades of brown in it and I'm stitching it on a green mystery linen about the same color as what the pattern calls for.

I love doing monochrome patterns so this should be fun.  I will leave you with this thought:

Barbara

A finish

Hello you wonderful group of stitchers and readers.  I hope you are ready for the weekend and have lots of fantastic plans or maybe just a quiet weekend at home.  Tomorrow I have plans on going to the farmers market in Winter Garden.  I've never been to this one so it should be fun.  I usually go to one closer to home in Winter Park.  I was there last Saturday and bought some Mango cheese.  I cannot tell you in words how delicious this was with some crackers.  I love Mango's and to have it added to cheese was just the top of the line.  I'll be sure to let you know what I find at the one tomorrow.

My finish is the Button Posie by The Scarlett House.  This worked up pretty quickly and I really do like it better on a darker fabric.  I added some black buttons for the center of the 3 posies and mounted it on a wooden plaque with a pretty red fabric behind it.  The fabric that I stitched it on is a little darker than what it shows in the pictures and it's called Copper Penny 28ct. Jobelan.

Our sweet grand daughter's birthday is this coming Sunday and with the health issues she's been having, we decided to give her her present a little earlier.  She grew up in the age of Harry Potter and has been the most enthusiastic reader of J.K. Rowlings books.  She has the basic t shirts, movies and such and we wanted to get her something that would take her mind off her problems and keep her interested and her mind busy.  Well we hit on it perfectly.  Lego came out with a new Harry Potter Castle kit  on September 1st and I was on the computer that morning ordering it.  We received it within 3 days.  The kit has over 6,000 pieces and there are over 30 bags of pieces and 4 books of instructions.  Here is what it looks like in the box.

Needless to say the box is quite heavy.  We gave it to her early and she started it last nite.  This is the latest progress picture she has sent me.

She is building it on her kitchen table and where it goes from there we haven't figured out yet.  There are moving parts (the stairs move) and the windows are stained glass.  She wants to put lights inside so it really shows off the stained glass windows.  This kit is pricey but I love that she is enjoying this and it keeps her mind busy and Little John is loving this all come together.  I will show a finished picture when she has it completed.

By the way, you'll find the pattern for the Button Posies in my store.

Blessings, Barbara

Peyton's Diagnose

Yesterday I went with Peyton to a new doctor, one that deals in facial pain.  He did a CT Scan, read her MRI, did some tests on her and is 100% sure she has what is called Trigeminal Neuralgia.  Basically what this is is the nerves in your face are over acting.  They don't know what causes this and there is no cure.  It's possible for it to go into remission for days, weeks, months or even years but you are never cured.  There is medication that can lessen the symptoms but that's about it.  Peyton loves this doctor for all the time he spent with her to explain everything in great detail and she will be staying with him for her treatment.  Is it life threatening?  No Thank the Lord but she will have to learn how to live with it.  I want to thank you again for all the prayers that were sent on her behalf from the wonderful ladies who stop in to read my blog.  

I've been working on a new project.  This one is by The Scarlet House called "Button Posies" and so far it's been a fun stitch.  The designer called for it to be stitched on an off white fabric but I chose instead to do it on a darker 28ct. Jobelan called "Copper Penny" and use DMC threads.  I like it better on the darker fabric.

Hope the rest of your week is full of fun, laughter and love.

Blessings, Barbara

I like this one better.