GETTING SIDETRACKED

Before I begin, I want you all to know, Heidi changed my blog look all the way in Holland. For Christmas, I received two wonderful framed pictures of my Great Grandchildren. I love them and thank my Kristy for doing them for me. As I enter this, Haali is in a state cheering competion in New York. This is the first year their school has made it to state finals. Good Luck Haali. I cannot believe she is so grown up and so beautiful.

This is my very special Mitchell. He is now playing basketball for his school. He is very happy when he is involved in a sport. He is a great soccer player. I have watched him play. Mitchell and I love to play Clue and Monopoly.

Now, my wall would not be complete without a frame for my Princess Zoe. While I was in Joann Fabrics, I hunted a frame. I came home and put together this one for Zoe. Now I can hang all of them together on my wall leading up to my sewing room. Going through the years, I bet Kristy will do upgrades on these frames as the kids grow. Hint Kristy. LOL.

Ok, now I want you to know, I am not giving up on working on my cookbooks. I have made a lot of progress, and this is some of the paper I have lined up. I have decided to pretty much get the pages ready and then add the receipes and pictures. Heidi has now put a name to the book. Kitchen Memories is the name she chose. I am having fun, but, not one stitch has gone on my Warrior for three days now. That makes me sad.

NOW ABOUT SCRAPBOOKING

In order to keep with organizing my craft/sewing room, I went to Joann Fabrics and bought a second paper storage container. I have two stacks and some card stock there waiting to be put into the drawers. I found this kitchen paper stack on sale 40% off, so I bought two of them. For a very long time, I have been planning to do receipe books for the family of family handwritten receipes. I am going to start with my Mom's receipes. I want to have a picture of each person in the kitchen if possible, along with their receipes. I never saw a kitchen stack. It was in the ad, so I went hunting it. I am making six books. I think all of this paper along with the other stacks might not fit after all.

This is a scrapbook of my school years that I made a few years ago. I had the pictures for every school year, so it was fun. The stickers are some I bought at Joann's also this week. They are for the cookbooks. I already bought a lot of the stickers.

These are books I will be using. I have four more waiting to be done along with these. I think I have most of the receipes, but I will have to look up some pictures. I think I am going to start by picking the paper and getting each page ready to be sure I have all the paper I will need while I can still get it. Kristy will laugh if she reads this, I told her never again, after I made the first scrapbook under her guidance. She is an expert, and I am not kidding.

MY EMBROIDERY MACHINE

When I decide to do an design on my embroidery machine, I try them out first on a piece of felt or fabric. I bought an Amish design CD and did this long felt piece to see some of them. I have done many of this design, there are many more designs on the CD. It is very expensive to buy them..

I can download free designs from the computer. This is some of them I downloaded a couple years ago at Christmas.

When Mitchell was smaller, I did this little boy for him on a sweatshirt. Sometimes I am not really happy with how they turn out, so I never do them again.

This snowman I made many times. The stocking I put on an apron I made for Heidi for Christmas one year. I did it like the night before Christmas. Maybe I can get her to show it on her blog sometime.

This trike is just like the one we ride. Ours is black. After trying this one, I put it on a lot of shirts. I usually put our names under the bike. George has lots of shirts with them on. I have also done them in different colors for our friends, and also Goldwing bikes for the friends who are still on two wheels. Not many of us are anymore. Last year, we didn't ride at all. George wasn't feeling up to par. Hope you enjoy my trip through embroidery land. I have lots more samples, just picked out a few.

MY WARRIOR IS KEEPING WARM NOW

I have this chart copied into four parts, and the two top parts are almost finished. I was so worried about the blanket, but I am finding it is not at all hard to stitch. The sides are way more color changes than the actual blanket. It is a very long blanket, I am only about half way and it gets wider at the bottom.

I received this cute pin cushion in the mail last week. When I was in Holland last March, one of our online stitching ladies did a contest "name my house". Roberta and her husband Terry moved to Atlanta. I chose Roterra Gardens. She named the house Humming Bird Hollow at Roterra Gardens. Thank you, Roberta for the cute little pin cushion you made.

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET

Yesterday morning we got hit with a ton of snow again. Today the sun is shining and it is going to snow again according to the weather forcast. It is very cold and no we are not having fun yet.
Where is spring? Is it really going to arrive soon? Maybe not.

Weather for Canton, OH

18°F
Current: Mostly CloudyWind: W at 4 mphHumidity: 63%
Fri27°F 16°F
Sat32°F 18°F
Sun27°F 13°F
Mon29°F 13°F

SETTING UP MY SEWING ROOM

Yesterday, Bill, George and I went to Pittsburgh to Ikea. In Holland and Sweden, I was able to go to both, the store is called E Kay Ah. The Americans pronounce it I key ah. Either way, it is a fun store to visit. It is set up exactly the same here as in Europe.

I bought these two tables for my sewing room. They call them work stations. You can buy any top you choose, then pick the legs you like. Not easy, they are all neat. I was going to choose saw horse legs but they only sit under the table and cut out some of the leg space. Bill helped me today, and we decided to make the two tables L shape and it is now my scrapbooking station.

This is actually a computer desk and today Bill took the hutch top off because I have sloped ceilings and this works out so much better. You can see the flag Heidi made me hanging behind the desk.
The lamp is the one I bought from Jacomina in Holland.

This is my sewing station. This is also an IKEA desk but bought a couple years ago.

The pictures in the back are two Bill painted.

This is an antique sewing machine I bought a few years ago. My friend bought one and needed us to pick it up for her in George's truck. Wellllllll, of course I had to buy the second one. My General store and bakery items are sitting on the top. Bill and I are happy it is finished, we are tired.

WARRIOR UPDATE

Just a quick entry to say hi and to show you my progress on the warrior. I cannot tell you how many times I have to change thread in a postage stamp area. I am happy with it so far. I think the challenge will be the blanket. Oh well, as a man told me in a stitching shop in Holland, "One stitch at a time". At the time, I was afraid to try anything. It was before Henry.
It is only 26 degrees here and I am getting ready to leave for church. Have a good day.

I WON, THANK YOU MARY

On Wednesday, our mailman knocked on the front door. He had a huge box in the bag he carries on his back, and I do mean huge. It was well packed and padded. It was a gift I got from Mary, who I call front porch Mary, (long story). I won a blog giveaway. This picture shows everything in the box. The tissue paper was so pretty. I am so grateful to be the winner. Mary is originally from England. Her blog is Across the Pond and you can click on it from my friends I visit. Her's is the first name on the list.

This book is all about the Cotswolds. Heidi and I visited there a few years ago and it is wonderful. I love England so much, my Grandfather came from there and I am trying to go way back in his family tree. The small book is a book of desserts and boy do they look good. One of my favorite things is English Trifle, and it is in there.

I put the ribbon in because it is so cute. This is a linen luncheon set and Harrod's English Breakfast Tea. Talk about spoiled, oh yes I am.

This china is some that Mary found in an antique store and it matches a set she has from her family. The card is so pretty and a nice note to me.

Mary posts pictures on her blog from a wonderful shop she visits in her town in North Carolina. In one of her pictures, she showed this beautiful, and I do mean beautiful, tapestry bag. I commented that I loved the bag shown hanging in the shop. When I won the giveaway, Mary called the shop and held this bag for me. I love it. I hope I am going to be able to go to North Carolina and meet Mary this Spring, as I go to visit my Granddaughter Mandie and her husband Jason, oh yes, did I mention Zoe. Thank you Mary from the bottom of my heart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HEIDI AND JASON ON FEBRUARY 12TH

HAPPY BIRTHDY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEIDI AND JASON, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUU. Heidi is now telling everyone on this birthday she is going to be five. Maybe she better put a four in front of the number. Can you believe this little girl in the first picture is the same one in the second picture? Does she really look five?

She was in Brugge, Belgium a couple years ago, enjoying Jos's beer. She said she didn't want her own, but it looks like she might have liked one.

This was also taken a couple years ago. This chair is no longer in her house. I tried to have her get a new picture taken yesterday but with no luck. We have to be sneaky to get her picture. Now, Dagi has no problem at all. That is his favorite place in the world. I hope you have a very nice day stitching and quilting. Is Jos taking you out to dinner? I know he gave you tulips already since we were talking when you got them.



I have told you I have two Army Grandson's by marriage. They are both wonderful men and we are so happy to now have Jason in our family. I hope you are going to have a wonderful Birthday Jason and I hope Mandie cooks your favorite dinner. She is a great cook.

IS THIS CUTE OR WHAT

WATCH THAT DOGGIE DOOR..!! GUESS WHO CAME HOME FOR DINNER? This fawn followed this beagle home ---- right through the doggie door ---- in the Bittinger, MD. area recently. The owner came home to find the visitor had made himself right at home. This hit the 6 o'clock news big time.

Eric sent this to me in an email and I had to show it to everyone. Right after I showed the tile I bought this came in. I think if this little Fawn came into my house, I would have to keep it. How about you?

WARRIOR PROGRESS

This is where my warrior is now. I thought I might have his head stitched by now, but I didn't get to do any stitching yesterday.

Yesterday, we visited the Living Bible Museum in Mansfield, Ohio. It was very moving. I am hoping to share some pictures on another entry. I bought this Fawn stepping stone there. As most of you know, my daughter, named Fawn, was murdered in 1995. Every so often I find things that bring her back so vividly. This was a very fitting place to find this stone. There is a Bible verse on it.

Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

I will not use this as a stepping stone, it will be placed on an easel in my living room. I just could not leave this sitting in the gift stop. Fawn's life was cut off too short and I know she is in a better place. It is just very hard to be without her lovely presence. Thank God I have her beautiful daughters, and now my Great Grandchildren. I wish she was here to see them.

FINISHES AND GIFTS

It's February, so now we might be thinking hearts. When I went to Holland last year, Heidi taught the stitching ladies who came how to make crazy quilt hearts. She let us use her stash fabric, and I pick Red, White and Blue. I took the buttons with me, and the trim. She said to think about the colors and theme we would use. I finally, TODAY, stuffed this heart and here it is. The year before, I was taught to do paper piecing. I made four coasters, here are two of them. I did like doing this method, but I am not a quilter. I will leave that to Heidi and now Eric. By the way, she yelled at me for not doing something right on one of them, I forget now what it was. LOL

This is part of a Valentine swap gift that I received from Barbara last year. She was not well, and still made this for me. I have it out for this year now. Isn't it a cute little pillow. I thank you again this year Barbara.

Now, what Valentine's Day could be complete without some cherry gum drop hearts. YUM.

Now, I wanted Sweetie to see what I did with the cute soap she sent me. It is just too cute to use, so I put it on an easel with my sheep. Thanks again to her also. I will share my warrior this weekend. He is moving right along.

A WIN FOR PLAYING BINGO

My online stitching group had a Bingo game going and I was way behind for a while and then, Bingo, I won. There were three winners in the end. Two of us won on the same day. There were to be two winners. Heidi is the list Mom and Margaret was an elf. (they named her that) They were sending the gifts from their stash. These are the things I received from Margaret.
There are Knitting markers, a needle gage and cloth to stitch bookmarks.

This is a too pretty to use, dish cloth. I am using it as a kitchen doily. Very beautiful knitting Margaret.

Margaret knew I liked the patterns All Our Yesterdays, she found this pattern in a magazine and sent it. I love it too.

Now she didn't just send the pattern, she kitted it up. She sent the Aida cloth and DMC thread to make the design. Heidi sent the gifts to the other two ladies. I know their gifts are in the mail. Margaret I really thank you for sending me this very nice package full of goodies.

THE GIFT WAS RECEIVED

This was the cross stitch I made for Becky and Eric. I thought it would be more lasting than just a card I would go buy. I framed it and of course, Heidi said, "is that glass I see". She doesn't approve of glass over a cross stitch. Oh well, they have it now.