Hello to All!

Dear Friends,

It has been a whirlwind of activity in my neck of the woods!!!

I just checked my blog, and of course, I was no-reply yet again!!!  I think I have fixed it again.  I really don't like this at all, but I guess I'll just have to check often!!!  Grrrrrr

I have just celebrated my birthday.....a huge birthday.....I am now 60!!!  Oh my, how did that happen?  Well, it just did!   haha   I had a lovely celebration at a beautiful restaurant with my son and his family.  We had a fun time and I was totally entertained by precious Zoe!  Then my friend, Helen, took me out to eat and we had another lovely eventing.  All in all, it was great!

I had to go to Indianapolis to work on the budget of my music organization.  While I was there, I had my trusty handymen to come and re-do my bedroom.  It was painted dark burgundy, which I liked, but it screamed 1980s and I guess it was just time to update a bit!  I also had carpet, and wanted laminate floors like I have in most of the rest of my house.  They painted the walls a very pale gray, matching the master bath that I had done over about a year ago.  They re-hung the blinds and valances, both of which I decided to keep.  Burgundy toile--and I still like it.  Then they went to get the flooring, which is discontinued......So, they had to order something similar, which was to take about 5 days to come in!!!  I got home and had to sleep in the guest room for a few days, which really wasn't that bad!  It was just an obstacle course of propped furniture in my bedroom, and I had to maneuver through on the bare slab to get to my bath, clothes, etc.  But it came in and they put it down and it looks good!  So all is well!  I picked out a new fan--I had the old schoolhouse fan, which I was tired of, so I picked out a new one that is rather futuristic!  I call it the "Jetson Fan".  I'm very pleased with all and so glad to be back in there!  The handymen told me that it took 3 coats of primer and 3 coats of paint to get the walls right!!  haha    I put the rug from my den in there--it is too small, but I think I'm going to live with it right now.  I'm tired of looking for anything else and it matches fine--just a little bit small.  Omar seems to like it fine!  Sorry to have the antiquated exercise bike in the photo--I never get on it!  That's why the bike looks like new (even though it's old!!!)  haha   All will look better when I hang my pictures.

 

In hanging up pictures, which I have not totally finished, I decided to hang my favorite little Prairie Schoolers in the corner of my room.  I made this Prairie Year a long time ago for my mother, and she had them hung in her house, and then in her apartment.  After she died, I brought them home and they've been in a box for 3 years.  I decided I wanted them out, so one night I got in there with a hammer and hung them up.  I must tell you that hanging 12 small frames is not the easiest thing I've ever done!!!  haha  Don't look too close or you may see something a little bit off, but I think they look about as good as I'm going to get them!  I have always thought these were so sweet and I love the colors--the DMC suggested colors.  I toyed with the idea of making ornaments, but I really like these together as a set!    (the wall color is totally off in this photo!)

The weather has been hot here and steamy on some days, but pleasant on others!  Today, I thought I saw a giant turtle on the creek bank, as I was driving up to my house.  I got out with my phone and tiptoed to the creek bank, but I guess he heard me coming.  All I saw was him sliding down and plopping into the water!  He was huge!!  Probably as big as the platter I put my turkey on!  He was enjoying the sun and I guess I interrupted him!  While I was out there, I picked up two feathers from Canada Geese.  One large feather, and one medium-sized.  I brought them in, washed them off, and dried them in the sun.  They are so beatiful!

SPEAKING OF GEESE.....I think they are so beautiful, and I love seeing them waddling along with their babies.  However, they are the messiest creatures around!!  You know what I mean!  For the past 3 days I have seen tons of poop on my patio!!  I couldn't believe it!  They never come up that close to the house.  I guess they have located the sunflower seeds I put out on the patio for the ground-feeders like the mourning doves.  The cardinals like them, too!  Anyway, I was not happy because I don't want them out on my patio making a mess.  Well, yesterday I just happened to look out and see them coming through the bushes, waddling toward my patio!  I couldn't believe it!  And they had their gawky "teenager" babies with them!  I took photos and then scared them off.  However, there is fresh poo out there today, so I didn't scare them too badly!  haha   Such problems I have!! haha
These photos show them coming in and going out of my yard!!  ha

 

I am getting ready to go to the furniture store to talk about returning the sofa and rug that was delivered yesterday.  I think the sofa has been in someone's house--back cushion has a "head shaped" dent in it......Rug is all curled up and I've had big books on it, and it's still all kicked up on the edge!  Oh me... I will have to handle this!  I'm in a redecorating mood!  Oh, and the delivery men left my old sofa (which they had to move out of the way for the new one)...on its back in my foyer, by the front door and blocking the music room......Stay tuned for chapter two of this exciting adventure!

Oh yes, one more exciting thing!  While the men were here, I got them to put in a new outlet in my foyer, behind my cross stitch tree!  No more extension cords spread everywhere and running along the wall!  I am so pleased and should have done this years ago!  

Sweet Omar is in the baby doll bed, bathing and getting settled for a nap!

Thank you for stopping by.  Please do so again! 

Frances

This Year Has Flown By!

Dear Blogging Friends:

I really cannot believe this year is almost over!!!  It seems like just yesterday when I put up Christmas trees, but it was a year ago!!!  I have almost completed the decorations on the largest tree, and I will show my Christmas trees on my next post!

Since I seem to be a step behind, I will show my Thanksgiving tree, now that the holiday is over!  ha  I love the Thanksgiving decorations.  There's something about those warm colors that just seem like home and family!  I enjoyed this tree. 

I had my family for Thanksgiving.  It's a small group now.  We had 8 adults and our precious Zoe!  I got a high chair for her, so she could sit with us.  She put on quite a show.  I thought she was tired, and we tried to put her down in her baby bed, but she would have not part of it!!  Also, as they were coming in, she spotted Omar and shrieked and laughed, so he went and got on my bed for a while.  While we were eating, he came out and sat in the middle of the blanket I had put on the floor for her, and looked around like he owned the place!!  ha  After the meal, some played with him and some with her, so it worked out fine!  This is my son and his little family!

I've been bird feeding and watching-a new, fun hobby!  I took this photo of what I think are red-winged blackbirds, even though I don't see the red spot on their wing area.  There were 9 or 10 of them on the patio this morning.  So pretty and very shiny black feathers!  I will let Beth look at this and give her opinion--she is our resident bird expert and I have emailed her and gotten much info!  You all know Beth from Garden Grumbles and Cross Stitch Fumbles.  In addition to her beautiful and fun stitching, she is an expert on birds and wildlife!!  And her blog is filled with her beautiful photography!

I received a WONDERFUL surprise from our friend Catherine at  I Love to Stitch.  She is so very sweet and kind.  I will show beautiful photos on my next post!

Thank you for visiting and please come back soon!  I will post very shortly!  I have my house almost finished for the Holidays!  I've even started stitching a small Prairie Schooler cardinal ornament, which I will show.

Have a great day!
Frances

Lots going on!!!

Dear blogging friends,

As usual, I'm hopping from here to there, and everywhere in between!!!  But I still love reading your blogs and hope to get more posting done on my own!

We took a quick trip last week, and had such a good time!  We went to New York and spent a few days, enjoying the fun and the big city hustle and bustle!  I love to visit New York--been there many times and I never get tired of it!  We stayed at the Waldorf Astoria, and this was the wonderful view from our room:

We always take a Gray Line Tour--it's the best way to see the sights. This time, we took a harbor cruise, too, and that was fun.  It's been years since I've done that.  Here we are, enjoying the sights on a really windy day!

This is a great view of Lower Manhattan, with the new Freedom Tower.  I love the tiny little red helicopter in the upper left--

Because I'm a church organist, no trip would be complete without visiting St. Patrick's! This is the gorgeous and huge organ there:

On the tour, we stopped and saw Strawberry Fields, a memorial to John Lennon in Central Park.  I've seen it several times, and I still feel sad when I visit.  It was decorated for Halloween, and people are always there, singing, crying, and taking pictures.  Sad.

Night time is beautiful in New York--here are the lights at Rockefeller Center, near the skating rink. The flags around it are so beautiful.  I really love New York, and we had a wonderful time!

I actually did a little stitching on the plane!  I am almost finished with this little Prairie Schooler freebie card--a Halloween design!  I'm always stitching on the wrong holiday! But at least I'm stitching!  I am making a solemn vow to start stitching on a Prairie Schooler Santa!  I have all of them and have never stitched a single one!!  That is really too bad because they are so lovely!  I also want to stitch those wonderful freebies from Plum Street Samplers--The 12 Days of Christmas!  I really like those, too!

You may remember that I have been having some work done at the house--I have gotten back most of the upholstery!!!  They were SUPER fast!  I am loving all of it!  Here is a tiny peek of the kitchen chairs...I love leopard!  These were oak chairs with sorta flat bottoms--they puffed them up and they are so comfortable now!  These were at my mother's and had rust velvet seats--I'm not sure what she would think of the leopard--but she'd probably be glad we're enjoying them!  I will post bigger photos when the room is finished!

This week I started my new organist job at the cathedral, and so far it's been good!  (Ha--that's funny because I haven't had to play yet!!)

Thank you for visiting and please come back again!  I still have a small stack to finish, but I don't think I have any Christmas things ready at the moment!  It's time to get the Thanksgiving tree up, so I'll be showing that soon!  Even though I haven't been posting regularly, I've enjoyed seeing what all of you are doing!!

Frances

It finally feels like FALL! *Edited*

Hello Blogging Friends!
I'm making a big effort to try and post more often!

Since my last post, I went with my husband to one of his annual engineering meetings.  It was at the Beau Rivage, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast--a beautiful hotel/casino.  We've stayed there several times, just for something to do and a place to get away for a night. Anyway, one of the spouse activities is always BINGO.  They budget money for lovely gifts, and a door prize or two.  Various committee members go and select the gifts.  There are usually really fun prizes and it all works out great.  Except, sometimes I haven't won a prize......and that's not so much fun!  Hahaha!  This year was different, however!  The stars were aligned, or something, and I did manage to make a BINGO!  You go to several gift tables and select what you want!  In reading all of your blogs, I see that many of you have Vera Bradley bags of various sizes and styles.  I didn't have one, so I was lucky enough to capture this one:

It's a wonderful tote bag and the color is perfect for Fall!  I'm so pleased to be a winner!!! YAY!  Then, at the end of BINGO, they draw for door prizes, which can be anything.  This year there were three and the big one was a spa session at the hotel.  There were also two $100 bills.....and I won one of those, also!!!  I have never won the door prize there! So I can keep my $$ in my Vera Bradley bag!  This made it a fun little get away!!!

Below is another photo of my new kitty, Omar....he loves to sit on this rug!  Isn't he a pretty boy?

I think I have told you that I have a designer coming to help me get my house in order.  I have been frantically cleaning out and purging.  It is hard to do, but is really getting easier!  I am so glad to see things shaping up!  I didn't think I was going to do any re-upholstery, but I guess I am!  haha  These are my fabrics, all of which I love!  I can't wait to get it done and finished!  It has been a lot of fun.

I finally got my Halloween tree put up, and I love it!  Halloween ornaments are fun and cheerful!  (At least the ones I get are--I don't enjoy the scary ones!!)  This is one thing I edited!!!  I kept looking at the tree and thinking it looked ok, but something was different. THEN, I found the orange and black bow that I put at the top--so, I removed the other photo and put this one!!  haha

I have a good selection of cross stitch and bought items.  It's such fun, and this is a fun time of year.  Thanksgiving and Christmas follow, and I even have some New Year's ornaments that I made after January 1st.  That will be a new one for 2016!

 

My other edit is that I went in and tried to identify the various ornaments, and added a few other phtotos.  In the left photo, the top cute owl is designed by our friend Jacquie and was a freebie on her blog at one time.  The sweet "BOO" black cat is a Waxing Moon chart called #129 Black Cats' Halloween.
In the right photo is a cute little freebie called Halloween Delight! by La Chatelaine Designs.  It is so cute with the little black cats and beaded edge. I love the little "if the shoe fits" freebie.  It is several years old and I cannot locate it anywhere--does anyone recognize it??  The purple and black ornament is by Lizzie Kate "My Other Car is a Broom"!

On the left is a freebie from The Sisterhood--Boo! It's done on lavender Aida and I used Purple bat fabric and ribbon.  The cat and pumpkin is a French freebie from Nathalie and found on her blog.  It is backed in black velvet and the bottom features flat sequins.  Next is a sweet freebie from Homespun Elegance and I used some printed Halloween ribbon and backed it in the same fabric you see on the front.

                                          

Here's another freebie--but I can't find it online.  I have had some of my freebies for a while!!!  Sorry!

                                             

This cutie was in 2010 Just Cross Stitch Annual Halloween Issue,  It's by Casey Buonaugurio and is stitched on orange linen.

                                            

This little pumpkin freebie is by Judi Utter and can be found at Cyberstitchers.  Isn't it cute??


I have one little thing I'm working on for Halloween!  I must get on it fast--I don't have much done!!! I'm using a hand-dyed scrap of linen for a different look.   It's a little Prairie Schooler freebie card.  So cute, and working up sorta fast! I have a lot of those little cards and should make all of them because they are fast and too cute!

Thank you for stopping by and please come visit again soon!

Frances

Was I AWOL??

It seems like the past few days/weeks have flown by and were busier than usual!  I have missed blogging and am glad to finally take the time to make a post!

I have been checking your blogs, and it seems like everyone is moving along, having good days!

Much has been going on and I have tons to tell!  I even have stitching to show!!!

But first, I am so sad to read that Prairie Schooler is closing up--they are retiring!!!  I just caught a glimpse of the the final charts they've released--lovely, of course, but I hate to see them leave!  I think they're my favorites!

I've had a foot in the road recently--I already told about my trip to Fargo for my Music Convention!!  Here are a few photos I never shared.  I'd never been there before, so we took a tour and got to see a few sights around the city. We visited The Heritage Hiemkomst Interpretive Center, where we saw a Stave Church and a replica Viking Ship.

 

We also attended a wonderful piano recital at the Presbyterian Church.

My favorite was probably the Fargo Theatre, complete with the Mighty Wurlitzer.  A lovely man demonstrated the organ, and then accompanied a silent movie--one with Buster Keaton!!!  It was so silly but very funny!

I guess I never said that I was elected to national First Vice President, and will serve that for four years.  Then I'll step up into the National Presidency!  A big honor!!

Here is a poor photo of part of the installation, and also the lovely roses from my state, that were left in my hotel room!!!  So sweet!

I headed back to Memphis for a quick trip, and did my fun visit to Stichers Inc!!  I always pick up a few things, but didn't get them photographed yet!  I bought a few lovely threads from a friend on Facebook.....

And, I went into a wonderful fabric store, that had little shopping bags full of fabric scraps for $6.50!!  Well, I have never been one to walk away from a bargain!  There was one full pound of fabric in the bag!  I couldn't see in the bag, so that made it even more enticing!! THEN, when I got home I grabbed it and I LOVE my new fabrics!!  These are perfect sizes for little ornaments.  Most were Moda Fabrics--so cute!

 

My husband had an annual meeting in Destin, FL. It was at the SanDestin Golf & Beach Resort.  We drive there almost every year.  It's so pretty there--we love the place--but it was terribly hot!!  Oh well, it was a nice change of scenery.  Now he had a Saturday night meeting.  I needed to get back home so I didn't have to miss church because I'm the organist and it's hard to get a sub!  Our city has just gotten an air service--I mistakenly thought it was jet service.  I really did!!  So my husband took me to the airport in Destin to fly back alone to Madison MS.  Can you imagine the look on my face when I was told to get in this contraption????

It was an 8 passenger prop plane, and we had nine passengers, so a cute little 9 year old girl sat in the co-pilot seat and off we went!!!  What an experience!!!!  Very loud.  Very not luxurious!  Very much NOT what I was expecting!  It did bring back many memories of flying with my father in a 4 person plane--as a child!  Well, the good thing was that it took 1 hour/20 minutes to get home, and it takes about 6 to drive because the traffic is so bad!! Below is a photo of the pilot flying....this was my view!  You can barely see a little hair bow in the co pilot seat!!!

I just got back last night from Brevard Music Center in Brevard, NC.  It's about 30 minutes from Asheville.  We flew on Delta--not the above-mentioned air service!!  LOL!!!
We spent one night at the Grove Park Inn--one of my favorites!!  So beautiful and up in the moutains!  The left photo is the Inn--the right photo is my view from my breakfast table!  Gorgeous!

 

I found this so unique--the various donut flavors are on dowels, stuck in a section of a cut tree!  Isn't that different??

Then it was on to Brevard Music Center.  They have an open-air amphitheater and the music just flows around the mountains....so lovely!  This photo shows the orchestra getting ready for a performance.

We had our meetings and meals in a lovely room, overlooking trees and a lake with geese!  They had  beautiful Steinway in there!

I've gotten quite a bit of stitching done!  I will have to show more as I can get it collected up!  I desperately need a finishing day!!!  I don't want to ever have a stack as tall as one I had about a year ago!!  I stitched this sweet little BBD St Patrick's stocking on the plane. Isn't it cute??  It's on a hand dyed 30 ct. linen.  So fun!  I will show more finishes later--and I did stitch all 3 of the Lizzie Kate Sled Dudes!  I showed a finished one previously, and I've got to finish the other 2 on the sleds!  I really like those!

When I got home from Brevard, there was a wonderful envelope from England waiting for me!!  It was from sweet, sweet Jacquie, and I just knew I would love whatever it was!!  She sent a precious note to me, written on this beautiful lavender-themed note card.  A little package wrapped in pink tissue was in there--and it contained a wonderful handmade lavender sachet!  I LOVE IT!!!  Jacquie stitched some pretty lavender on it--TINY count--very lovely!!  And it just smells divine!  Thank you so much for thinking of me, Jacquie!  I have enjoyed our friendship so much!  I think of you when I walk by and catch a delightful whiff!!  I will put it somewhere that I want to smell sweet, but right now I have to leave it where I can enjoy looking at it!!!  Many thanks, friend!

Well, this was a LONG post, but I have been out of pocket!  I will post some finishing soon, I hope!!  I really want to jump into that stack of fabulosity!!!!  

I started stitching another of the St Patrick's stockings, because it was the most convenient thing to start then!  I am going to recycle some old stitching, and I have some great ideas for those things.  So, keep in touch and I will share all of that soon!

Thanks for stopping by, and come back soon!

Frances

A Patriotic Post!

Hello bloggers:

I do have some finished stitching to show, but I decided to wait and show my Patriotic Tree first! I have always loved patriotic things--and I love to stitch patriotic pieces!  I hope to get some more stitching done while this tree is up!  I'll have to hurry!!!  4th of July is very soon!!

I've always put little American flags in my tree, but I got more from my mother's house, so I added those in.  She always loved to decorate!

 

This shows a clever pinwheel that my dear friend Janie taught me to make.  You can also see my uncle's photo in a little frame on the left, and my father's photo in a little frame in the right photo.  I framed the three family WWII veteran's pictures in their uniforms.  I guess I don't have my other uncle showing in these photos, but he's on the tree!  In the right photo is the sweet July's Liberty Star from Rainbow Gallery and found here.

You can see Abraham and George in the left photo--from Prairie Schooler February chart # 160.  You know I love Prairie Schooler!  In the right photo are freebies, USA Celebration Flag from Tink Boord-Dill, found here, and July's Stars of Freedom from Rainbow Gallery, found here.  At the bottom on the photo is the 4th of July Quaker freebie by Aury TM.  It doesn't seem to be available any more, but if you search for Aury TM you will find a couple of different patriotic Quaker hearts.  They would be nice to use with this one.

  These little quilt squares were left over from someone else's project, and I think they make really sweet ornaments!!    There's a red one on here, too! 

Here's a closeup of the little Freedom freebie and the USA freebie.  I was pleased with how both of these turned out--especially the Freedom one!  It's on  blue Aida and I added a cute star button.  I really like this one.  It has a wire and bead  hanger, but I think it's a little bit hard to see!

This Liberty freebie has always been a favorite!  I love the wide gingham ribbon hanger, attached with two sweet little star buttons!  It's by Lizzie Kate and found here.

This is part of a freebie--Deck the Halls with Stars and Stripes from Vivian Bales, and I love it with the flag fabric I used with it!  Too cute!  You can find it here.

This freebie is America Sailing Sloop by Rainbow Gallery, located here.  I think this one turned out well and I've seen it on several other blogs through the years.

You also can see various little bought ornaments and they add a lot to the overall effect! As I said before, I really enjoy patriotic stitching.  I have several more to do, and just MUST make time to get them done!

Thank you for stopping by, and do visit again soon!

Frances