Good-bye 2012 - Hello 2013

I am sitting here in my living room watching the snow fall and thinking about next year. I have bought a lot of stash lately and will have to use some up lol. I am terrible at remembering to take pictures but now have my camera back (my daughter borrowed it for a trip to Seattle in September!) and will start the new year off right :) 

I am currently working on a wedding present for a dear friend and a biscornu for an exchange due out the middle of January.  I have never made a biscornu before so I will keep you posted on my progress.  I made 2 mug rugs and 8 ornaments but they were all gifts and no camera means no pictures. So sorry. I make ornaments for my husband's family every year and the mug rugs were for my mother-in-law and my boss. I have a 3rd one started so will post a picture when done. 

For 2013 I plan on completing 1 panel of Shores of Hawk Run Hollow finish the biscornu for the exchange, the wedding present, and I just ordered the threads for Baby It's Cold Outside - Cross Stitch Pattern by Heartstring Samplery. I loved it as soon as I saw it and can't wait to start it! I also will be making ornaments and hope to start an ornament tree. I got the idea from Shari at Shari's Sharings  She makes ornaments to decorate her ornament tree and uses them for last minute gifts. I realized this year that I have a HUGE stash of ornament patterns so I'd better get cracking!

Before 2012 ends let me leave you with a couple of pictures of our Christmas tree, 2 ornaments from a few years ago, my mom's nativity and the beautiful snow out side my window.

Thank you for visiting and wishing you all a blessed and safe New Year!!!

Hugs,
Rose

Goo Morning All! Well first things first - the winner of my first ever give-a-way is (drum roll please) Maggee of Stitching Devotee. Congratulations Maggee!! Please send me your snail mail address and I will get it in the mail ASAP.

On the stitching front I am working on ornies and will post pics as soon as I can. 

I am getting ready for Thanksgivng!!!The turking and Tofurky are defrosting and the pies and in the fridge.  Today is a "quick" (LOL) trip to the food store for the last minute fresh stuff, cleaning and hopefully some stitching.  We will be a small but happy group this year. Me, DH, my younger daughter Devin and my older daughter Siobhan and her boyfriend Tom.  Siobhan and Tom will get in late tonight so I'll stitch while I wait. We will have dinner around 3 since Siobhan and Tom have to visit his grandparents in the morning and have pie with his aunt after dinner.  I just have to get used to sharing her (ugh) but I am glad to have them both for dinner!!! This is our 3rd Thanksgiving without my mom. I still miss seeing her at the table, although I know she is there (just can no longer see her).

Wishing you all who are celebrating it, a wonderful Thanksgiving full of family, love and laughter!!

Hugs
Rose

Will Do Better

Good Morning All (any one still out there??)! I am so sorry I have been gone so long. I went back to work with a new boss and time just seems to have gotten away from me.  I am glad to be back and you may not believe it but I will make time for me (and you). I haven't really stitched much either but now that Christmas is here (my favorite stitching time of the year) I am sure I will have some finishes to share with you VERY soon.

First things first you really need to head over to Victorian Motto she is having an amazing Christmas give-a-way! You just won't believe it!!!

Second I promised you a give-a-way. It may have taken me a while but I do try to keep my promises. I am giving away the pattern "Christmas Tea" by Plum Street Samplers. It is one of my favorites! If you are interested just comment on this post. I will keep it open until November 20th.  Good Luck everyone.

Life here in the Christmas City has been crazy. We survived Super Storm Sandy. Schools were closed for a week and we were with out power for 4 days. That being said we were lucky. No real damage to our house. I have never seen the kind of damage we had around town. GIANT trees down everywhere. Roads closed. Still we have far less damage than our neighbors in New Jersey and New York.  We also have a new puppy in the house. Max is 5 months old an into everything. I will post pictures as soon as I find my camera.

Christmas starts in town next week. I will post pictures! I will stitch! I will post in my blog (not just sit back and read everyone else's)

Hugs,
Rose

Rough Month

So sorry it has been so long since I posted and I promise to get on the ball with the give-a-way. It has been a really rough month in the Christmas City. 

Our sweet Lady Mae at the age of 15+ took a turn for the worse and the cushings disease and cancer finally took it's toll on her (and us) and we had to help her on her way to the rainbow bridge. We had rescued her at the age of 3 and she was truly the sweetest, kindest, most easy-going dog! She accepted every person or dog we every brought home. She just loved everyone. We miss you Lady, there will never be another like you :(

 This is Lady Mae at Christmas 2011. 

Before she lost all her hair (except for part of her face and legs) and really got VERY sick. lady Mae went to the rainbow bridge a week ago Thursday.

She was truly my daughter Devin's dog and Dev said she couldn't do it unless she had a dog to sleep with. Well Bailey and Jack wouldn't leave us so she started looking for a puppy. Two days later (Last Saturday) we met a transport truck that came from a rescue in Alabama and Max entered our lives!

He is 10 weeks old and a papillon mix (mixed with what?? Who knows!). We saw his mom and brothers as people were picking up them too. His mom was 12 pounds and LONG legs! Max is 4 pounds 6 oz. and a sweetheart. He is getting along with the other dogs, eating, using his wee wee pads or going outside (NO accidents so far YAY!). The rescue group gets dogs from a kill shelter in Alabama, sends them to foster families and then puts them on petfinder.com. He was born in foster care and Devin spoke to a volunteer from the rescue and called the foster mom before accepting him. He is exactly as the foster mom described him (size, temperament, etc.). She called Wed. night and they had a transport headed our way leaving AL on Thursday, arrive in PA on Saturday morning. It was an air-conditioned truck (I'll admit I was worried but Devin was determined and she is almost 24 with a great job) and he came off healthy and happy. There were at least 15-20 families picking up their new family members and taking them to their forever homes. Welcome home Max!

Now to share what little stitching I have gotten done.

First is the slow progress on "Shores of Hawk Run Hollow". I went back to work and school started last Monday so I have just been to tired to stitch.

Block 2

Next is a Quaker Wedding for a friend. 

"The Wedding" by My Big Toe Designs

I hope to be back soon and hope you are all enjoying the last weekend of summer!!!

Hugs

Rose

Shores Update!

Good Afternoon All,
Wow 52 followers! Welcome to all my new followers. I will make every attempt to post regularly and not disappoint!  I was thinking of having my first ever give-a-way when I hit 50 so I guess I will spend this week figuring it out. Thank you all for you kind comments, my furry friends and I enjoy reading every one of them.  

Our gazebo was a total loss :(  However DH found a sturdy one on Craig's List and it is now sitting in the back yard waiting to be put up.  He wants to bury cinder blocks at the corners and bolt it to them to keep it in place. I can only hope this works and it stays put LOL.  It is so hot here today 94. UGH. I am so done with summer and ready for jeans and sweatshirt weather.  I am hoping to go up to the camper for the weekend. It would be nice to get away.

Well now for the Shores update. I made lots of progress during our week long SAL!. I was really motivated. I finished block 1 and started block 2:

The sun took forever!! I am moving right along on block 2. 

I will get back to you asap with details about the give-a-way and more progress pictures. Until then enjoy your week - stay cool - and happy stitching!

Back From Vacation

Hello all. We are back from out vacation and time to post :)

We went to our camper in the Pocono Mountains for 10 days. It was great! We didn't even have to turn the air conditioners on until mid week.  

Our camper the first morning there.

We went to Bushkill Falls and hiked to the falls. Very pretty but I understand it is much better after some rain.  We really haven't had much rain except for an occasional fast moving thunderstorm.

Bushkill Falls

It was hot so we went swimming in the campground pool.

Sunset over the pool.

My daughters each came up to visit Devin and the dogs for a couple of days and Siobhan for an overnight.  Always good to spend time together.  The last night there was a terrible thunderstorm. Lots of lightening and wind and we lost power (lucky I brought a battery powered stitching lamp lol).

When we got home the next day we found this:

So much for Andy's Father's Day gift :(

And this . . .

I think they missed us!

Now for the stitching update (drum roll please)

Shores block 1

I hope to finish this block this week and then move on the block 2. About.com's stitching forum is having a SWAT (Stitch-week-a-thon) beginning Saturday.  I hope to get a lot done. If you'd like to join in the fun here is a link to the forum http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?nav=messages&webtag=ab-crossstitch&lgnF=y

It's a lot of fun and you can work on whatever you want. The forum members and very nice and always helpful. I hope you can join us for our SWAT. We post pictures at the beginning and of our progress. It is inspiring to see what we all get done in such a short amount of time. 

I hope you are all staying cool and enjoying your summer - 

Happy Stitching,

Rose

Getting my mojo back and a finish :)

Hi All!!
I don't know how many of you remember but last year (maybe the year before) I thought I would try my first BAP and stitch The Shores of Hawk Run Hollow. Well I got a little overwhelmed and did not get far.  

Pretty bad huh?!? I think the size of the fabric overwhelmed me. I started again today and WILL keep going.  I love to read Becky's Bees blog.  Becky SC is amazing and she finished Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow by commiting to 1 block a month.  I  just started a small wedding gift but I have til the end of September so I am going to do at least 1 block a month until Shores is done.  I plan on posting my progress. I have a weeks vacation next week so I plan on getting a lot of stitching done.  My favorite forum over at About.com is having a SWAT (a stitch week along) in July so I should get some done then too!  There is a really great group of stitchers on that forum (stop by and check it out)!

I did complete a gift for my boss in time for her last day of work (she retired Monday).

I changed some of the colors to match her tastes.  She fell in love with sheep when she visited Ireland so sheep it had to be.  Sorry for the fuzzy picture but I am learning to use my smart phone as my daughter took my camera to Guyana and I didn't get it back yet.

I hope you all are having a great summer so far and I will post progress pictures soon.

Thanks for stopping by . . .
Hugs,

Qick Update and a give-a-way

Good Morning All,

I just wanted to drop and to let you all know that Denise over at Riverside Stitching is having a great give-a-way. Stop over and visit her and enter!!!

Memorial Day weekend we gutted out only bathroom so have been crazy trying to get it done.  Also my daughter took off for a service trip to Guyana in South America Saturday night and took my camera with her so will try to figure out how to post from my phone (or pictures will wait til after June 20th!)!

Just know I am spending my whole day stitching!!! I am working on Sheep In The Meadow by Country Cottage Needleworks. It is a retirement gift for my boss who visited Ireland and fell in love with all things sheep.  It is a really nice stitch (although I changed the lavenders to a more plum shade of purple).  I will post a picture ASAP!!


Until then have a great day and I hope you have some time to put in a few stitches yourself :)


Hugs
Rose

Graduation and finishes :)

Hello All!

I know I have been away again but so much has been happening!  Work has been crazy getting ready to end one school year and starting another.  The bus companies are already looking for their paperwork and I am getting a new principal July 1st.  I have high hopes that she will be good for the school and that we will work well together.

Well first of all please allow me a few minute to tell you about my amazing younger daughter.  She graduated Saturday from Misericordia University in Dallas, PA.  She received her BS in Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology (Magna cumlaude), her Masters in Occupational Therapy, was in both the OT and Psych Honor Societies and on Friday she received the OT Leadership Award.  I am so very proud of my Devin!!!

Devin and her proud parents after the Award Ceremony,

 The Graduate

The Graduate and her very proud parents!

I also have had several time sensitive projects.  The first few I have to get done by the end of the school year - 

A pillow for a lovely nun at school who always brightens my day.

 

 

A pillow for another sweet nun at school who had been in the hospital.  She loves snowmen and yes there is some beading (first time I ever tried that).

I have one more that I will show later as it is a RAK for a dear friend that I still have some finishing to do. Hope to mail it off next week and then you all can see. I also have one that I am doing for my boss as a retirement gift and I promised a cross stitched wedding gift to a friend in Sept.  

This coming weekend my daughter and hubby are gutting the bathroom and putting in a new one.  I will try to post some pictures of that project too LOL!!

Hope you all are stitching away!!

Hugs,

Rose

A Surprise!!!!!

I couldn't have been more shocked  today to find a comment left by DKathy awarded Denise over at Riverside Stitching. Denise awarded my  blog a Liebster Blog Award! Thank you so very much Denise you are truly amazing! 



In case you didn' know (I didn't lol) Liebster, which means 'favorite' in German, it is a way for bloggers to help each other out by spreading the word about their blogs.

As part of the Liebster tradition it is passed along to 5 bloggers that have motivated and inspired you. To accept the award you must -


1. Link back to the person who gave it to you and thank them.
2. Post the award to your blog. 
3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you appreciate and value. 
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.
5. Share 5 random facts about yourself that people don't know about you. 


It is my honor to offer the Liebster blog award to these 5 blogs -


1.  Kirstin over at Stitching Addiction. Kirstin is one talented lady that I met on the About.com forum.  She is from Australia and does some beautiful work.  Be sure to stop by and say "hello".


2.  Measi's Musings is an wonderful little blog. She has some unique work and a great SAL!


3.  A shout out to Toni over at Toni's Favorite Things. Toni hasn't been around much lately and a little encouragement may be in order.  She has some beautiful work and just seeing the LNS pictures from her country (The Phillipines) is just amazing!!


4. Jeanne at Byrd's Nest has some of the most amazing blackwork designs! I first found her on the DMC forum and although I haven't been there in a long, long time I love to see what's new and different on her blog.  If you like blackwork you will love Byrd's Nest!


5.  Lynn over at Kearnel's Korner is right up my alley!! She is a fellow empty-nester who loves her stash and her cat (the difference is as you all know I am a dog person).  Her blog is a joy to follow.


Well there is my list and now for the 5 things you don't know about me (this will be hard):
1. I love small houses (which is good because I live in a small cape cod).
2. I met my hubby when we were 16 but didn't date til 24!
3. I love to listen to all different kinds of music but my favorite is anything Celtic (especially Celtic Woman or Enya).
5. I am addicted to Harry Potter in book or movie form.
6. Vanilla is my favorite smell :)


Thank you so much for the award Denise and I will catch you around the blog world!!!


Thank you to to all my followers and I hope you enjoy checking out some new blogs!

First Finish of 2012 and Other Odds & Ends

Good Morning All and Happy Monday!

 It is a beautiful Spring morning here in PA which is strange. It is February after all and we should be covered in snow! I let the gang out this morning and the birds were singing! I can't wait to open the windows and let their song into the house (although it does come with plenty of pollen ugh).

Well let's get down to business and post my finish!  I participated in "Hermit and Stitch last weekend with the gang from: 

Random Ramblings 

http://joysze.blogspot.com/ 

 I should have posted last Monday but better late than never right?? I started just needing to finish the snow flakes on "Christmas Tea" by Plum Street Samplers (I just love her patterns and knew this was the perfect pattern to get my stitching mojo back again. It is done on 14 count blue fiddler's cloth with DMC floss.

Then I moved on to start "Dream Wish Believe" by Midnight Stitching. I have a dear friend who is in rehab after an illness and she loves snowmen! This will be for her birthday in March (so I'd better get moving)!  It is on some 14 count blue I found in my stash. With gas prices going up it is time to use some stash up!

My big surprise this week came from my dear friend Minnie over at:

 All XX's

http://minnie-allxxs.blogspot.com/

She had a surprise give-a-way when she hit 50 followers! Congrats Minnie and thank so so much.

If you have time stop over and visit her!

Finally I will leave you with the latest picture of my gang taking a nap on the couch.  

Have a wonderful day and I will post my next finish soon (I hope cause I have my next 3 projects all planned!). I guess my mojo came back :)

Hugs

Rose

 

I am Back To Stay

Hi all,

So very sorry it has been so long but I promise to do better!  I am off on Mondays so I will start by making sure I post at least every Monday :) 

Life around here got very complicated with both girls home, sick dogs and the holidays.  I seem to have gotten in a stitching funk, UGH!! 

But both girls have moved out - Siobhan off to Philadelphia to an apartment with friends and 3 (yes 3) part time jobs (oh to be young again).  She is also working on her art like crazy and should have her first Philadelphia show soon.  She is a printmaker.  Devin is off to a Lake House near Misericordia University as she finishes her Masters in Occupational Therapy. She graduates in May.  Can you tell I am a proud mama?!?!

Well I am determined to get my mojo back.  I have started a small cross stitch Christmas Tea by Plum Street Samplers.  I love cranberry tea and I loved the colors so I am determined that it will be my first finish of 2012!

I also have a dear friend who is getting married in September so I was looking for the perfect wedding pattern for a older bride (47) and second time around when I was blog surfing and came across the blog A Whole Lot of Latte.  She had just started The Wedding from My Big Toe Designs and it is perfect.  Even the colors as she is thinking of burgundy for the wedding.  I am looking forward to starting it and I know if I post my progress you will all help keep me going.  

I promise progress pictures soon - I will be back VERY soon.  Til then stay warm and dry . . .Hugs