Some Finishes

I've been a very busy bee and was able to finish not 1 but 2 designs.  I really don't know what's gotten into me but I'll take it.  This doesn't happen very often.

The first one is "Let It Bee" by The Drawn Thread.  I framed it myself and it's been so long since I framed anything it took me quite a while.  I don't know if you're like me but I always question my framing.  Is it centered?  Does the frame look right?  So many questions with no answers.

The second one is the pumpkin from the Hands On Design called "Autumn Skies".  I tried so many places to find wool felt that matched the oranges in the design but just had no luck.  I finally found this large checked flannel and decided to go with that.  I don't think it looks too bad and I can always say I put my own spin on the finishing but I really wanted an orange pumpkin.

I think fall is finally finding it's way south.  I noticed that the rain trees on our block are turning red and orange and that's a good sign that cooler weather is on the way.  Makes me happy because Peyton, I and the kids are going to Disney these next 2 weeks and it's a lot more pleasurable when the temps aren't in the high 90's.  

Since we don't have the beautiful changing of the leaves that you lucky people in the north have.  Peyton was living in Virginia for 4 years with her father and stepmother who was going to college up there.  She asked me one year what I wanted for Christmas and I always made sure it was something she could do on her own.  I asked for a small frame with leaves in it to remind me of the beautiful colors of fall.  This is what she sent me and I have it out all year long to remind me of her love and the colors of nature.

Also, I just started the beautiful Blackbird Designs chart that sweet Barb was wonderful enough to lend me.  The design calls for it to be stitched on 40ct. linen and you know how much I just love that so mine is being stitched on a larger count fabric and mine will not be a pincushion.  I'll show a picture of it once I have more stitched on it.  Until then.....

Blessings All Around, Barbara

Let's see how many agree.

This was sent to me by a good friend and I just had to share.

Blessings, Barbara

I love it when I have a finish to share because it just doesn't seem to happen very much anymore.  If you haven't been to the Cross Eyed Cricket website lately you might want to check it out.  She has a new freebie and another one that you can substitute in the booklet  "Playing with Jax".  I decided to do it alone and make an ornament out of it.  I used the fibers she called for but I finished it a little different.  For one thing I used a bluish linen that has a metallic thread going thru it and on the edges I used a rick rack in light blue with a silver edging on it.  The bow was made from 2 different silk ribbons that I had and they matched the overdyed silk leaves in the design pretty good.  I really like how it turned out.

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I've started a new project called "Let It Bee" by The Drawn Thread and I had forgotten how much fun Cynthia's designs can be to stitch.  I'm stitching it on a 30ct Linen using 100/3 Au Ver A Soie silks.

Little Evelyn's Welcome to the World party was this past weekend and she was dressed up just waiting to see and meet everyone.  

I'm glad you stopped by to see what was going on in my little corner of the world.   I love and appreciate all of my followers and always pray that everything is okay in your corner.  

Blessings Abound, Barbara

During and After Dorian

Well Dorian for us thank God turned out to be nothing but I feel for the people in the Bahamas.  It will take many months for them to even see a glimmer of normalcy return.  On Labor Day we went to Disney World Epcot and enjoyed the food and wine festival they have every year.  Good food with family can't be beat.  Hubby tried to go to work on Tuesday only to find the plant shutdown so came back home and spent a quiet day.  Wednesday found him back at work but me and the kids headed for Disney World Hollywood Studios.  Star Wars just opened and there have been lines 2-3 hours long to ride the Millenium Falcon.  We got there and went right on because the park was just about empty.  John even rode it twice.  We were able to take the boys into Toy Story which also has been very popular.  Here's some photos...

So that's what we did to get over the scare of a Cat. 5 Hurricane coming towards us.  

But then the bad did happen.  When I got home on Wednesday I decided to take the garbage cans out of the garage where we placed them in case the storm did hit us.  My DH has on the floor these black mats about 2 ft x 2 ft and they are made of rubber.  Let me tell you that if you step on one of them and there is water under it you are on the floor before you can blink.  I laid there stunned for 5 - 10 minutes trying to determine if I had broken anything.  Figuring I hadn't except my pride I managed to get to my feet.  I bumbed up my left ankle, both elbows and my back.  I've stayed off my feet as much as possible and kept the ankle wrapped.  I guess Dorian did hit but just me.

I hope that if you were in the target of this storm that you come through okay with minimal damage to you and your home.

Blessings, Barbara 

Just checking in before this hurricane decides to drop upon us.  We are expecting a lot of rain....one person said up to two feet..... but all we can do is wait and hope for the best.  We went shopping today for some last minute items and filled up the gas tank in case we have to leave but I doubt if that will happen.  We are one of the lucky ones who's house sits on the high ground in our development and there's a storm drain at the end of our driveway.  These newer developments that they are building don't have storm drains and I wonder where they think the water is going to go.  Hmmmm.

I made a mistake about little Evelyn.  She wasn't 7 lbs 3 ozs at birth she was 8 lbs 3 ozs.  She was bigger than both boys by over a pound.  Little John was very excited before she was born but now it's like old news and he can't be bothered by her.  LOL  They do make me laugh.

Just to show you how time flies the first picture is of me holding Peyton hours after she was born....

and this next picture is of me holding Evelyn hours after her birth.  I remember Peyton's birth like it was yesterday.  Dang I'm getting old!!!!

I will check back in after we get power back because it's a forgone conclusion that we will lose power.  I hope everyone else who is in Dorian's path makes it thru okay with minimal damage and no damages to body and soul.  Say a prayer for all of us and we will put our trust in God.

Blessings, Barbara

Introducing Evelyn

Welcome to the world our great-grand daughter, Evelyn weighing in at 7 lbs 3 ozs and measuring 22 inches long.  Mother and daughter are doing well and I can't wait to see her later today.

Blessings Abound,

Barbara

Ups and Downs

I hope everyone has had a good week so far.  Here it is Wednesday and I feel I haven't gotten anything done.  I was able to start a new cross stitched piece.  I'm feeling in the mood for some Blackbird Designs and I picked out "My Pink House".  It's a small design which I need because I'm in the mood to finish something fast.  Ever get that way?  The Cricket design I just finished was on the medium to large size so I'm looking for some fast gratification.  Here's what I have done so far....

Last week I came home and found my DH all black and blue from a fall he had taken while I was gone.  He was coming in front door and trying not to step on Vallie and she got tangled up in his feet and down he went.  He didn't want to go to the ER and he kept saying he had no pain.  He's almost back to normal with the bruising but I was very concerned.

Peyton sent us a picture of Zane's first official big boy haircut and he looks just darling...

And here's him and Mommy on the Teacups at the Magic Kingdom last Tuesday.  Peyton is so ready to have this baby and the doctor tells her to keep walking so that's what we will be doing tomorrow.  Going to the Oviedo Mall and walk.  It's good exercise for me as well and it's air conditioned.

I am looking for a pattern.  I came across this on Pinterest and couldn't find any info on it.  Does anyone recognize this?

For a chuckle....

Have a Blessed day,

Barbara

And the winner is............

McLibgirl

I used the number generator and it came up with the number 5.  I couldn't believe that only 5 people were interested in winning this kit of this design.  I guess not too many people like Cross Eyed Cricket designs or else they didn't like the idea of me writing "copy" across the top of it.  I feel I'm okay in giving this away since I didn't pay for it and I'm receiving nothing in return.  I did receive some nasty emails about this but I'll ignore them and go on with my life.  You can't please everyone and I don't even try.

Anyway I will email McLibgirl and get her name and address and get this in the mail to her.  I hope she shares a finished picture of it with me when she's done.  

For a laugh

Blessings, Barbara

The finish and the Giveaway

Hello my fine blogging friends.  I've finished the Cricket design "Wicked Patch" and I'm ready to give it to some lucky stitcher.  The design called for a fabric color of green but I wanted mine on a more neutral color so I picked a fabric that they don't make anymore but I had one piece of it left...Whittenburg.  It's a 28ct. fabric that has a fabulous texture to it and I wish they still made it.  It would be fantastic for primitives.  Here's mine finished and soon it will be off to the framers....

So let's have the Giveaway so someone else can have the fun of stitching this amazing design.  Here is what you will receive if you win.

The original design that I received from Cricket plus all the fibers used in the design (all the silks and specialty fibers are included).  You will have to provide the buttons for the spider and the fabric.  Here are the guidelines for entering:

1.  You must be a follower of my blog.

2.  You must agree not to try and sell this design when you are finished with it.  That is why it is marked "Copy".  

3.  You must agree to enjoy stitching it.  :o)

Now if you agree to these feel free to comment to this post only and enter your name and an email address so I can contact you if you win.  The name will be picked by the random number generator next Wednesday evening.  Unfortunately let's keep this within the U.S. because postage is just getting too expensive.

Good luck!

Barbara