A Special Finish!

Hello fellow bloggers!

This has been such a jam-packed time, with lots of fun and interesting things!

This is another finish I finally got done, and really one of my most favorite ones!  I stitched this a number of years ago.  It was from a JCS Christmas Ornament magazine.  I will have to check and let you know what year.  (I forgot!)  I love this sweet cardinal with a scarf.  It is stitched on red Aida.  I have tried to use up scraps of fabric--I cannot bear to throw away good fabric, even though most people don't use Aida.  I think it turned out really well, and I love his funny legs and feet!!!

Cardinals are special to me ever since I read on FB about cardinals being sent by loved ones who have passed, as a sign to let you know they are around.  They come at any time, but especially at times of great joy, or times of sadness or difficulty.  I always feel peaceful when I see a cardinal!  So, this little ornament reminds me of that!

I got caught up in the Eclipse fun!  I thought it was great!  My son and his father-in-law drove up to Missouri to see totality.  It was a little cloudy there, so they drove to Paducah KY and watched it there.  They found an event at a jr. college there and it was narrated by an astronaut.  So, that was very enjoyable.  My brother drove to Athens TN and was in a large parking lot with many other people and said it was fabulous.  I stayed at home, on my driveway!!!  It was about 86% here, but I loved it.  It became a little darker, but similar to dusk.  It got noticeably cooler.  It was awe-inspiring! Nature is so amazing!  I had read to look at shadows through the trees--you would be able to see little crescents, and that is just what happened on my sidewalk!  So amazing!

 

There was a real "run" on eclipse glasses and people were paying WAY too much!  I got mine weeks ago and paid $1.99!  I think I missed my calling as an eclipse glasses model!  haha

This is not a great photo of Zoe, but it's the new one I took this weekend.  She (and her parents!) came over for lunch on Sunday, before my son left for the eclipse.  We had a good time.  I tried to get Omar to pay attention to her.  He pretty much ignored her, but at least he didn't hiss at her like he's done in the past!!!  She, however, was very interested in him this time, and was really eyeing his fluffy tail!  She will be 8 months old in a few days.  Time really flies!!!

That's about all for now.  I hope to have more news soon!  haha

Thank you for visiting!

Frances

More Finishes!

Dear Fellow Bloggers:

Thank you for your wonderful comments on my last post.  I have been so inconsistent with my blog.  I am so pleased that I still have a few readers!!

I think I have the no-reply blogger fixed.  I'm certainly not sure!!  But I worked on it a long time!  At one point, I had it fixed to where no one could comment!  hahaha  I can't believe these settings are so difficult to deal with!

I told you earlier that I had a wonderful finishing day with my dear friend Janie, when she was down for a visit with her mother.  We did many things, and I was so pleased to get a few totally completed.  Below are two cute St. Patrick's Day finishes.  One from Lizzie Kate and one from Blackbird Designs.  I love both of these, and I am pleased with how they turned out!  It's hard to see, but I have little beads around the edge of the Luck to You! and I like the fluffy ribbon on the stocking.  I will enjoy these on next year's St. Patrick's tree!

As always, I have to post a cute photo of baby Zoe! She is a happy baby!

I hope you are enjoying your weekend and your summer.  It's been so very hot here, but we had a little break with some slightly cooler weather this week!  It was great!

I still have another finish to show, so stay tuned for that!

Frances

Another Finish!

Dear Blogging Friends,

I have another finish to show.

However, I must comment about my blog situation.....I am on Google+ because that's how it was when I started this blog, apparently.  I become no-reply blogger every so often.  It looks like the setup of Google+ has changed slightly once again.  I have been no-reply recently.  I messed around with this last night until midnight!!  I think I might have it fixed, but I certainly cannot guarantee it!! HA  And to make it worse, now instead of showing my number of comments, it shows a larger number, saying that some are spam and don't show!  I do not know how that happened!  I would love for it to go back as showing the actual number of comments, and not some "doubled number" that includes spam.  I don't get it!  Anyway, please look and see if I might still be no-reply on your blog!!!  grrrrr
And if you have any solutions, I'm all ears!!


My cousin was cleaning out (she's been doing this for months--she's slow!!!) and had this little piece she stitched in the late 70s or early 80s.  She won't throw anything away, so she asked me if I wanted it.  I told her I would take it and make an ornament, if she didn't object to my cutting it up!  This is how it looked out of the frame.  Ok, but not so much!  ha

She did not care if I cut it up, so I measured it and tried to make it into an ornament that wouldn't be huge.  I really like the way it turned out.  I am very pleased with it!

I also just realized that I had not shown you my sweet Mother's Day gift from Zoe.  It is a precious Yankee Candle with her famous sunglasses photo on it, and they named it "Made in the Shade"!!!!  I just love it and I've enjoyed it so much.  I like to keep a candle burning all the time.  I love beautiful smells.  How cute is this??

Finally, here's a quick snap of Zoe!  She goes to day care at the Methodist Church nearby.  I had to play for a funeral there yesterday, and I was able to pop in and say hello to her!  She was sitting up.  She hasn't figured out how to do it on her own, but she enjoys it if you help her sit up!  (No, she isn't balancing a block on her head--that's just my great photography skills!!)

Thanks for stopping by!  I have other finishes to show, so check back!

Frances

Hello There!

Dear Blogging Friends:

I have looked back and am a little bit surprised at how long it's been since I blogged!!  I have had a ton of activity at my house, and I just haven't sat down and worked on my blog.  But I'll try to tell you what all has been going on!!!

I'll talk cross stitch first!

I did get my Patriotic Tree fixed, and I'll show it now!

I always love my Patriotic Tree!  It gives you a "happy feeling" every time you see it!

During my "absent time" my dear friend Janie came for a visit and we had a wonderful day of finishing!  I got several things done, and I'll show some now, and save some for a future post!!!!
(That way I will have some news to share!)

I did get one little flag ornament done for this tree!   I have several others for different trees, and I'll be showing those soon!

I thought this turned out pretty cute for a Spring/Summer look.  I bought this little framed, discontinued store model in Memphis a couple of years ago.  It's on perforated paper.  I like the cute little ceramic buttons and the beading.  I took it out of the little solid green frame and attached the paper to a little pillow ornament.  It's not my very favorite, but still cute!

I have been traveling a great deal with my post as National Vice President of my music organization.  Since my last post, I have traveled to Alabama, South Carolina, Michigan, Indiana, and Dayton Ohio. This week I will be in Minneapolis and I'm looking forward to that!  I enjoy the meetings so much.  I usually give a speech and I really enjoy the wonderful concerts that always take place.  So much fun!!!  Here is a photo of me speaking at the national banquet.  Now that I'm pretty much finished with traveling for this year, I need to watch my eating, so there will be less of me to love!! hahaha  Such a hard thing to do!

I think Omar is rather displeased when I travel and leave him at home.  My son comes by to check on him once a day when I'm gone.  When I came back from the last trip, he ran and sat on my carry-on and just stared at me!   I think this is so funny!  (Don't you love my leopard luggage??)

I also got my ears pierced since my last post!  I had never had them done and I felt really silly going in the store to check on it.  I first went to a little accessory store, and it was full of children running around and making great noise!  I didn't feel comfortable there at all!  So I walked next door to a cosmetic store that also pierces.  It was so calm--no one in the store--soft music--so nice!  So, I got them done and I have enjoyed earring shopping.  I was told to only get gold for the first few months, so I have several pretty ones.  One of them is bothering me at the moment.  I hope I don't have to go to the doctor for an earring issue!  

Since I last posted, the one year anniversary of my husband's passing has come and gone.  I cannot believe that much time has passed.  It has been a hard year, but I almost feel like a survivor and a victor for making it through.  I have handled many things that I never thought I would face and it has not always been easy.  I have a new respect for those of you who have always been alone or have been alone for a long time.  The world is not always kind to single women, but I have learned to forge on and most attempts have been successful.  Oh well. This is a photo of him, several years ago.  He had beautiful eyes!

I am wondering if I'm a no-reply blogger again!  My account is Google+ and it has been a problem since day one!  If you will check and let me know, that would be great!  I have checked.  It looks like it's ok, but I'm not so sure about that!!!  grrrrrr

My precious little granddaughter is now 6 months old.  They went to the beach at Gulf Shores AL and I think Zoe really enjoyed it!  Here are two cute photos..one with her other pair of sunglasses and another with her swimsuit and sun hat!  I think her little legs are so cute!! haha

 

Thank you for stopping by and reading this post!  I hope to post again soon!  (Yes, I'm aware I say that often and it doesn't always happen!!)  But I do want to show you the other finishes I have, so I know that I have those photos to show.  Come back and check soon!

I have been skimming over your blogs while I've been away from posting.  I see that many of you have issues, problems, sadness, etc.  I am sorry to read this and I hope you know that I feel for you and I can certainly empathize.  Please know that and hang in there!

Frances

Shocking, isn't it??

Dear Blogging Friends,

I know you must be in total shock to see a post from me!  I have thought about all of you often. I hope you are all doing well!   It took me this long to just sit down and make a post!

As you know, my life has turned upside down lately, but I am progressing and getting used to my new way of living.  I wish, so much, that things were different, but they aren't, so I am determined to forge ahead and try to enjoy life!  I'm pretty much finished with all the paperwork and financial things I had to do, so at least that is behind me now!

During the past year or so, we let our yard take a back seat to everything else, which wasn't a good thing!  After this Spring, the grass was almost non-existent in places!  We had dead limbs hanging in our trees, and a some trees that looked like they were on the way out!  After reviewing everything, I had four trees taken out and dead limbs cut from every tree!  I also had St. Augustine sod put down in the entire yard.  Some overgrown bushes were removed and replaced with new ones, but not all.  I had to stop somewhere! I am pleased with the end result, and now I'm in the process of watering until I could scream!!!  But I have to do that for the sod to live!  I did not put in a sprinkler system because I spent a small fortune on all the trees, landscaping and sod.  Maybe in the future!

It looked so sad with all the grass scraped off & utilities marked....

Then, tons of sod magically appeared at 6:30 AM and change began!

Now I have a yard full of sod and some new stepping stones, so I don't step in gooey dirt while watering all day long!!!

Sometimes, I think I must really be a genius!  Since I have been watering all day long, I decided to take advantage of the water that goes on the driveway, and parked my car there to get the dust rinsed off!!!  And yes, I did turn it around and get the other side, too!  

I have put up my Halloween Tree, and I'm really pleased with it!  I love all the fun colors and I have located such cute little bought ornaments to fill in with!  

I finally have a finish to show!!  I know some of you might need to sit down with that news! 

This is a little Prairie Schooler freebie card that I had stitched up quite a while back.  It's on hand dyed linen and I think it's really cute!  I even had some BOO! ribbon to use on it! This is one in a stack of things that must be finished, so maybe I'll have more to show very soon!

Just a little lesson I learned...never think anything is ever completed and over!  I walked out on my patio and noticed this in my yard.  I thought it was a big limb and couldn't believe it!  I live next to a creek, and there is a small strip of common area between my house and the creek.  I do not own that land.  My tree people were so kind, that they went on and trimmed up the 2 trees on that common land so they would look nice by my yard.  And then they left.  And the the yard was done.  And then...this very tiny but tall tree that grew beside the larger tree got tired and just fell over.  It didn't crack.  It just drooped. Right on top of my new camellias and gardenia bushes.......I was able to slide it off my bushes and on to my new sod!  hahaha  But, I called the homeowner association and they came and cut it and took it away!  I guess I just live for drama!

Thank you for reading my blog.  You know that the past few months have not been the greatest, and I appreciate any of you who are reading this post!  I am back in the swing of things and I will be posting some additional finishes very soon!

Frances

St. Paddy's is coming soon!

Dear Blogging Friends:

I have taken down the Valentine Tree and now have the St. Patrick's tree up!

 

This green tree always makes me happy!  I don't have any new cross stitched ornaments, but I do have a sweet little Lizzie Kate kitted up to do--hopefully before the holiday is over!!!

St. Patrick's Day is such a fun day here.  Jackson has the St. Paddy's Day Parade, and it is so much fun!  Everyone wears green and throws beads and dyed green potatoes!  (not sure about that, but it's always done!).  Many of you may have seen the books about the Sweet Potato Queens.  They were always in the St. Paddy's Day parade, until recently!
They are so funny!  Google them if you aren't familiar!!  A Riot!
Anyway, a local shopping mall used to have a Miss St. Paddy's Day Pageant.  It was a farce--not a real one!  Everyone was silly and dressed up funny!  To make a long story short, a friend of mine posted on Facebook a photo of me from like 1995, when I was Miss St. Paddy's!!!  In the parade, I rode in a golf cart driven by an Elvis Impersonator!  It is such a highlight of my life!  hahaha
My name was Miss Kitty from the City and I wore leopard and tiger print, with large fuzzy tiger slippers with plastic claws!  I teased my hair and wore a Burger King crown!!

Our weather has been so wonderful lately...except for the horrible storms a couple of days ago!  ha
The Canada Geese love to come in our yard and visit.  Here is a sweet couple, just waltzing and honking through the yard!  Look at all those sweet gum balls on the ground! They make such a mess!

I had a wonderful trip to Louisiana last week.  I accompany a friend of mine from when we studied for our Masters Degrees.  She is a wonderful singer.  We presented a program on music from the Harlem Renaissance and it was such a delight!  It was at an art museum--a beautiful setting!

I even have a tiny bit of stitching to show!!!  It's a very tiny bit, but some, at least!  And one is not quite completed!!  I stitched these with some wonderful floss that was sent to me by our sweet friend Annette.  This floss is Cosmo Seasons floss.  It is wonderful!  Egyptian cotton and glides beautifully!  I didn't know about it--we have no local stores--only Michael's and Hobby Lobby, and they only carry DMC.  Thank you again, so much, Annette!!!  I will make these into two sweet little ornaments!  I am getting a bit of a stack for finishing.  I will have to take a day and get it all done!

 

Thank you for visiting by blog, and please stop by again soon!
Frances

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