Friday, August 28, 2015

I'm here!!!

I have been so behind in EVERYTHING!  I really hate that my blog has suffered, but I'm back on it now and hope this much time won't pass between posts again!

Well, everyone has talked about the heat--and it's still hot here.  We haven't had rain since July 4th, so our yard is brown and crunchy.  But I do know it's that way in a lot of places.  Here's another photo of my dashboard temperature....wow!!



I have noticed the sweetest little birds with red heads out on my patio.  I haven't taken the time to look them up, but I think they are so cute!  Perhaps Beth will see this and can tell me what it is!



We went to the MS Gulf Coast for a couple of days this week--was nice to get away.  We stayed in Biloxi and relaxed and ate!!!  This weekend is the 10th anniversary of Katrina. Most people are aware that New Orleans suffered greatly.  However, the MS Gulf Coast was destroyed in many places--and hasn't all come back.  There are vacant lots all across from the beach.  Beautiful antebellum homes lined the beach.  I remember them from my childhood.  Now there are so many vacant lots with those historic markers that describe the home that used to be there.  So sad. Beauvoir, the home of Jefferson Davis, is there. It was heavily damaged, but has been repaired and is open again for tours and visits to the museum located there.  Here is the view from our hotel.


I have been stitching some and have done a little finishing.  I was supposed to get with my dear friend, Janie, to finish ornaments.  I had to cancel because I was having pain from my precious kidney issues.....I had to see the Doctor when I was supposed to visit with her.  He said I'd have to "tough it out" and gave me some rather effective pills!!!!  I slept for two days!  I wanted to blog but I couldn't focus my eyes or think straight!!  Oh my!!! But it's all fine now!!  Never a dull moment at our house!

In sorting through my mother's things, I found this blue jay cross stitch that my brother's ex wife had stitched for my father many years ago.  (My sweet Daddy has been gone for 29 years, so you know this is OLD!)  Anyway, it was framed in a very plain oak frame--nothing special.  I haven't seen her in almost that many years, but I just thought it would be wrong to throw away cross stitch.  I didn't want to hang it on my wall, so I decided to cut it up and make an ornament!  Yep!  I did!  And I actually like it very much!  I'm pleased with the outcome!





I also had this little pansy on some of that country-styled Aida with green designs around it.  It was large (probably intended for pillows) and I didn't want it hung up, either.  So I cut the printed border off and made another ornament.  Fun!!

 

I'm so glad to do something useful with these older pieces.  It's been fun to re-style them. I still have those three shells I showed earlier--they are next on the list to re-style.

I also stitched a cute little Halloween owl!  This is a cute freebie from Jacquie and I had such fun stitching it.  At first I really didn't like my thread choice...variegated orange. However, when I started putting the finishing fabrics with this, I think it turned out well! Jacquie is so talented!  She can stitch, quilt, and do all sorts of things--in addition to designing! She's not been feeling well lately, and I hope she improves soon!



I hope to be posting more finishes very soon!  I have a stack of things to finish, but I'm plodding through them!  I have missed blogging but I have tried to quickly check in on your blogs, to see what fun you've been having!

Thank you for stopping by and please come back soon!

Frances



13 comments:

Ariadne said...

Glad you are back and feeling better. After suffering the gall bladder pain and operation I am feeling much better too.
Katrina's disaster is so vivid in my eyes. I can't believe so many years have passed. Love all the ornaments. I cannot make finishes like that so I simply frame everything I stitch. There is no space any more on my walls. AriadnefromGreece!

Annette-California said...

Welcome back sweet friend! Hope you will continue to get better. I love how you converted the two older pieces. You have inspired me. I just have found some older pieces that I had not finished from years ago.
Yours came out beautiful!!! And darling Halloween ornament!
It's been so hot here the last few days - not fun!!!
love Annette

Brigitte said...

You were doing some great finishing on these pieces. And the older ones just appear as being new again.

Jacqueline Morris said...

Hello (waving to you!)
Lovely to see you back blogging :)
Oooh you have been rather busy, loving your finishes, your so creative when you finish things, love them!
Awe... Thank you for stitching my little owl! It's lovely, really like the colour you chose... And again your finishing is lovely, goes really well.
Pleased I popped in as now I am smiling :) thank you :) xx
Smiles :)

Vickie said...

Oh Frances! You did a splendid job at reviving the old pieces!

Angela Tucker said...

Good morning, Frances! Sometimes, I wonder if thermometers in our cars are a good thing or a bad thing! LOL As soon as I KNOW that it's 103 degrees, it feels like 103 degrees! LOL

You do such beautiful finishing. Each one is perfect.

Shelly said...

The repurposed ornaments look so great, especially the ex sister in laws' bird. I like how the foliage in that one go off into the edge. I think a lot of the time, we try to stuff things into borders that we never think that parts of the design would look nice going off into infinity. Whoa! Where'd that come from?! The trip sounds like fun and yes, it's hard to believe that Katrina happened just 10 years ago. I hope to make a trip that way sometime in the future. Hope every day you're feeling better!

krayolakris said...

Red headed birds = house finches. So glad I found your blog!

Beth said...

Looks like it might be a male House Finch Frances.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Finch/id
I like how you repurposed older stitches and am off to get
the owl freebie. Stay cool!

KimM said...

Glad you're better, Frances. I love your finishes - they are so darned CUTE!!!
xxx

Sheryl said...

Pleased to find you back and that you are feeling well. Beautiful blue jay cushion, good idea to make it into a cushion.

diamondc said...

Frances: I love the heat some people hate it, my mother like the winter, we are so different.
Love your dash board picture, wow 103 that's hot.
Your finishes are so sweet, I love the Bluejay it is lovely.
The red headed birds are very interesting, I am not sure what they are and I love birds.
I am so happy you had a great time in Ms. it is sad to think about what Katrina did in the south.

Blessings
Catherine

Carol said...

Such darling little pillow ornaments, Frances--what a great idea to give those old stitchings new life! Your kidney pain sounds excruciating--and in that horribly hot weather--I can's imagine! Hope things are better now...

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend--hope things cool off soon!