Friends for All Seasons finish...

This is by Lizzie Kate.  This was a quick, fun stitch.  I love how the birds are included in each season.  This will be a Christmas gift for a dear friend of mine...it now passes on to my  Sweetie for framing.  I can't wait to see what he comes up with!

*Sharon

For Cohen...

Sending love and prayers to Megan and  Brent as they walk where no parent should have to walk.

*Sharon

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...."

With all apologies to Charles Dickens, this quote perfectly sums up the past couple of weeks of my life.  We were blessed to spend a week with one of the dearest people in my life.  (I was forced to promise that I wouldn't tell any embarrasing stories from his childhood on my blog, so I'll avoid that - but suffice to say, this fellow is a real sweetie to me!)
He took vacation time and escaped from the snowy west to come spend time here in sunny Florida.  Thank goodness, the weather cooperated with our plans. The week he was here was just lovely!! :)
Rather than do the crowded, "normal" tourist stuff, we decided to head a bit off the beaten path..  We wound up fishing in the ocean, (all we caught was a "kelp" fish (in otherwords, just a bunch of sea-weed).  We call sea-weed a "kelp fish" 'cause that way, it sounds like you actually caught something (even if you didn't)  :)

One of the stops we made was Gatorland.  My expectations for this place were SO low, but I have to say, we had a really fun time there.  We learned a lot about 'Gators and Crocs and nature in general.
Judging from this sign near the entrance, I was expecting a really "cheesy" day - but it was really a great way to spend a day.....

Here are some other photo's of our adventures with the Gators..............

He's just sleeping...honest! 

We also went to the National Police Hall of Fame and NASA/Kennedy Space Center and the Astronaut Hall of Fame.  We took a couple of "down days" just to relax too.  All in all - just a great week!  I'll post more pics of our various trips/tours later.  I don't want to bore you with ALL my wacky pics on one post!:)

Now for the worst of times part....I MISS HIM!!!!!  I spent all this past week moping and being sad cause I miss all the extra laughter and extra hugs.  I'm feeling better now and getting my groove back - stitching really is good therapy!  (Not to mention my sweet hubby and sweet son who are giving me extra loves!!)

This is a piece that I'm working on for my mom.  This is SOOO not my style - but she asked me to stitch something for her that was small, blue, spring-like and flowery.  I found this design and think it fit her request nicely.  I'll be glad when it's finished and can start on something that's more "me" - but I feel priviledged to

stitch for my Mom.

This is "Blue Posey" from Jeanette Crews "Hydrangeas" book.

Thanks so much for all your visits and kind words...ya'all are just the sweetest bunch of bloggers anywhere!

Wanna come for cheesecake?

Okay, so I am dumping ("personal responsibility") for the moment and I'm laying the blame for my calorie disaster on George Washington!  Years ago, when Ian was younger and just learning about the presidents, I started making cherry pie or cherry cheesecake on President's Day...it  became a yummy tradition.  This year, we voted to go with the cheesecake.  I don't even want to think about the calories involved - but it was so yummy, it was worth the splurge.
There's plenty of slices left - wanna come and share??  :)

*Sharon

How much is that doggy in the basket?

Thought I'd post a pic of Tea-Tsu hanging out in our Christmas "book basket".  She just hopped  right in and called it her own.  Come to think of it,  she calls most everything around here, "her" own!  LOL

Enjoy!

*Sharon

Happy Home Sampler Progress....

This is a progress shot of my "carry-over" project from '09.  I'm going to be working on this AND adding in some new projects for 2010.  I can't wait to see what stitches the new year brings...  :)

*Sharon

Happy "Flu" Year...

Yup, let the coughing and sneezing begin...  :(   

We have a white board on our door that leads from our laundry room into our garage.  Usually, one of us will grab the marker and write family "I love you's", favorite scriptures, holiday messages or quotes on the board.  It's been so fun to try to "sneak" the messages when no one is looking...and even more fun to find messages that someone else has written.  Ian's message today was to erase the "Happy New Year" message and change it to "Happy Flu Year".   I sure do love that not-so-little guy.  He keeps me laughing even when it's the LAST thing I feel like doing.
Ugh - bring on the tea with honey and lemon - I'm off to sneeze and stitch, and sneeze and stitch and...well, you get the idea.

Stay healthy!

*Sharon

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.....

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...in my stitching room!!! I got bit by the Christmas stitching bug early this year, and now I can add another finish to my pile! This is "Cold Hands" by Lizzie Kate. I just love this little guy - he'll be going to live with a friend in Ohio.




Currently, I'm working on "The Angels Sang" by Little House Needleworks. Not much progress to show on this one, but at least I'm headed in the right direction. (I think!) My son asked if this was going to be a ghost!! Me: "Nope, it's going to be an angel." Snarky Son: "All-righty then, if you say so - sure looks like a ghost to me though." :)
You'll have too stay tuned to watch the "ghost" grow wings and a halo!! :)


*Sharon

Tea Tsu Strikes Again!

My little sweetie just came home from the groomers...I thought I'd share her latest look with you. Okay, so there's not much difference between her "old look" and her "new look", but she's been strutting and stylin' around here like she's on the red carpet, so I decided to take advantage of her "posings". Enjoy! :)
Four-legged friends rule!
*Sharon
(Edited to add - Sheesh, I just realized I just took her picture on the same rug that I took her picture on last time she went to the groomers'. I've gotta find doggie some new digs!) :)

Stitching a Snowman...

I'm just having a blast stitching this fine fellow. This design is Lizzie Kate's "Cold Hands, Warm Heart". He's one of about 6 Christmas gifts I'd like to make for holiday giving this year. I love doing Holiday stitching, but I also have a stack of everyday "just for me" designs that I'm itching to get started on. Ah well, all good things in due time.
Sweltering and Stitching, (still in the upper 90's here - where's fall????)
*Sharon

Merry Friends Finish

Whoo-hoo! I think this is FINALLY the year that I "get it" - Christmas is coming!! Yea I know, most folks already know that - but this year, I "get" that I need to start my Christmas stitching now and not wait until December 1st to put in the first stitch on my Christmas "wanna-do's". So, with that being said, I proudly present my first "stitched for Christmas '09" finish! :) I just love Lizzie Kate's designs - they stitch up so fast and easy!
It feels sooooo good to have one gift under my belt. Next up - Lizzie Kate's "Cold Hands". This will be my 2nd time for stitching "Cold Hands"...I had a friend put in a special request for this design, so gift #2 will be soon underway!!! :)
Thanks for taking a peek!
Hugs,
*Sharon

My apologies to Delicate Beauties...(and a clock picture too)!

Have you ever felt the need to apologize to a piece of needlework? I love this piece so much and have always intended to finish it, but somehow it just keeps getting pushed further and further down into my "favorites" pile.
I started this piece in 2006, for crying out loud!!! :(
Anyway, I'm setting up a loose rotation schedule for myself in hopes of making some real progress with this. I'm still "floss-tossing" and "fabric fondling" to choose the next smaller piece I will do in my rotation. I'm stuck between choosing "Bosco Booberry" (he's so cute!) or "Killer Dust Bunnies". (that piece cracks me up!) Of course, "Bless Our Home" and "Cups of Friendship" are also calling to me to stitch them too. Do I dare live large and (GASP!) start them all??? Nah, remember Delicate Beauties, remember Delicate Beauties....(you don't have to read that over and over - that's just a reminder to me not to get too far off target - lol)
I think I'll sleep on it tonight and make my decision later this week. 'Course by then, some of you lovely people will probably entice me with your wonderful projects and then I'll want to start even MORE stitched goodies. Honestly, the web can be hazardous for stitchers...so many gorgeous designs that call my name when I see your work. :)
Our town had a spectacular art fair this week-end. The town shuts down to traffic and is filled with block after block of every type of artwork imaginable. The talent always amazes me...if I look at a log, I see a log. These artists look at a log and see a dolphin or a fish or a manatee. The wooden bowls are so smooth and just unbelievable with their many blends of wood. The jewelry, glasswork and ceramics are beautiful too. AND, the BEST PART??? Just look at what my sweetie bought for me!!

A teapot (w/ cup!!) clock! (Now, did you really think you were going to get away from my blog w/o reading "something" about tea???) :) Isn't this just the cutest?! The lady who makes these does the most amazing ceramic pieces - mostly large table tops, etc. She just happened to have this little pot and cup and we knew it was destined to come home with us. The colors are a perfect match for our kitchen colors/counter-tops. This was just made to hang over the door to our pantry! (Yes, I know - we have lots of clocks already in residence in our kitchen - think coffee pot, microwave, etc...but come on, a teapot clock!!?? Gotta have it, baby!!! :) Don't think my sweetie's kindness will go un-noticed, I see a few of his favorite desserts very soon in his future!! :)

I hope you each had a wonderful week-end and are ready to jump in to a mah-velous Monday! :)

*Sharon

Iced Tea Finish

Okay, so it's not a BIG finish...but it IS a finish! (And BTW, please try not to notice how LONG it took me to do the "not a BIG' finish!) :(
This was a fun stitch - life just keeps getting in the way of my stitching times. I wouldn't have it any other way though...'cause life, in addition to sometimes causing trouble, also carries with it the bonus of unexpected hugs from loved ones, time spent talking about important "nothings" with friends, and a lot of times, life includes good food! :)
Anyway, this little fellow will go (all together now - ya'all know the answer to this one!) - into my tea-themed kitchen. There's a spot on my kitchen island that just cries out for a snowman in a teacup. :)
Now, I'm going to treat myself and start something new AND pull out my long-standing (or is that long-suffering?) UFO, "Delicate Beauties". I'll post my new project and my latest DB pic later.
Thanks for all the lovely visits and comments. I appreciate each of you visiting!
Hugs,
*Sharon

Details:
"Iced Tea" by Midnight Stitching
28 ct. hand dyed fabric - "Sky"
Specialty Threads as called for in design (including that always dreaded Kreinik metallic)

Brrr....Iced Tea

The next piece that caught my stitching fancy is "Iced Tea" by Midnight Stitching. Isn't this just the cutest little fellow? (Now that he has eyes, anyway - before that he was just a kinda creepy-looking white blob! lol) I'm posting before and after pics so that you can see that I'm heading in the right direction with this! :)
Speaking of "cold", (we were? well, snowmen are cold, right?) Darn Nyquil must be kicking in...I seem to have caught that nasty cold bug that's been making the rounds...I am totally enjoying the irony that I'm stitching on a piece called "Iced Tea" while in "real life", I'm sipping EXTRA HOT tea w/ honey and lemon. :)
Must be the Nyquil again - but that just strikes me as being VERY funny. (Don't worry, I'm not out in "public" saying this lame stuff - I'm home all day today!) :)
Stay warm!
*Sharon

Pictures - I got pictures!!!

Just sharing some fun Florida photo's. The beach shot pretty much speaks for itself...gotta love my "backyard"! :)
The lighthouse is Ponce Inlet Lighthouse which is just south of Daytona Beach. Due to my anemia issues, I couldn't climb it this time...I had a great laugh 'cause the gift shop actually sells a shirt that says I "almost" climbed the lighthouse. :)
I felt kinda bad because there were a few "older" folks that ripped up and down the steps without missing a beat - they put me to shame! :)
The other shots are from our local zoo, and Disney World's Epcot and Magic Kingdom parks. (along with my favorite not-so-little fellow!)
I hope you enjoy seeing some of our "famous" scenery...come visit Florida - you just might want to stay!! :)

*Sharon

Finishes Framed....

I wanted to share pics of the way that my sweetie framed my finishes for me. I just couldn't be any happier with the work that he did. He always amazes me with his ability to look at a piece of my needlework and "feel" the way that a frame would accent it the best. (I especially love the lights that he drilled into "Deck the Halls" and his perfect red and white candy-stripes on the snowman box!) These are the gifts for my mom's neighbors...I must admit that it was a wee bit hard to box them up and send them away - I just adore them and think that I might just be re-stitching them for me eventually! :)
Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving! (I give thanks that calories don't count on turkey day!!!) :)

*Sharon

A Christmas Finish

This is my first Christmas gift finish for '08. It's Lizzie Kate's "Warm Wishes". My Mom asked me to make something "Christmasy" for her neighbor (who loves birds and snowmen) - so I thought this would be a good choice. I still have two more gifts to stitch (for my Mom at her request- she has wonderful neighbors!) and then I need to get busy on Christmas gifts for MY neighbors!! :)

Thought I'd share...Keep beating the heat!! :)

*Sharon

My stitching buddy - -

I thought you might like to see who's beside me every stitch of the way - - this is our little sweetie and she's always sure to be my "stitching shadow". I don't think I've put many stitches into a piece at all but where she's cuddled up as close as can be. She's a Japanese Chin and I just can't say enough good things about this sweet little breed. Now, if I could only get her to chase away those darn frogs - what stitchers call mistakes - (we have to rip-it, rip-it - get it??) :) , she'd just be perfect!
Oh - and you'd NEVER guess her name!!! :) I'm not making this up - her name is "Tea-Tsu". Knowing me, you just knew I'd have to sneak in the "tea" somewhere, right??? :) :) :) (and no, I'm not "tea"sing about her name - that's what it really is!!!! (sorry, couldn't help it!!) :)
Thanks for letting me share a moment of your day with you. I love the comments so very much -

*Sharon

We Love Tea...

Yes, we do!!! I loved the process of stitching this piece...the colors are a perfect match for our kitchen/eat-in area. This hangs on the wall right above our table where we eat most of our meals. Hubby framed this one - I love the little circles he cut and the little teapots that he chose to put into those circles. (Click on the photo to pick up the details). I think the framing really helps this piece come to life. I just love that this is a "hobby" that hubby and I enjoy creating together! :) Hope you enjoy the picture -thanks so much for all the lovely comments - they just make my day!!

Have some tea for me, (sweet and iced, please - I'm in the south, ya know!!) :)

*Sharon

Framed and a Finish!!!

My darling hubby was able to finish framing our wedding gift this week-end. I think he did a nice job. I wish the matt showed better in the picture - hubby chose a wonderful textured matt that's SO soft - a perfect choice for this design. I also like the frame he chose. (Only problem is he got very ambitious and framed it before I had a chance to clip off a couple of extra loose "ends" off the back of the piece before he framed it -ugh). Oh well, I appreciate his help and support and maybe not too many people will notice my couple of little "tail" threads. I HOPE!!!!!! I just didn't' have the heart to ask hubby to un-do his work for me to "fix it". I've learned a valuable lesson - I will "clip" as I stitch from now on, for sure!!! At any rate - I LOVE my framer!!

I found some time to finish a piece from my new stash. Lizzie Kate's "Tea for Two". This was such a fun, fast finish. It will be a fun fit into my tea-themed kitchen.

I'm so grateful to say that Ian is feeling SO much better! We'll be hitting the courts again this week for some short practices. He isn't cleared for competition yet (he's very competitive and very fast when he's on the court - his tennis nickname is the "Ianator" - so he needs to work back to that slowly as he continues to recover. We've been doing lots of walking to build back his endurance - hopefully we'll be back at blasting balls before too long! Hmm...maybe I should challenge him to a game while he's in thia "weakened" state - this may be my only chance to get a win in against him!! :)

On the homemaking front - I have to bring treats to church next Wednesday for a marriage class that hubby and I are taking. I'm taking some chocolate cherry brownie-fudgy treats and I was thinking of also taking some of those small-size muffins in lemon poppyseed. I have the recipe and a small muffin tin - but I have no idea how much batter to put into each "little" tin to make a "little" muffin. Anyone know?

Homeschool is still a fun adventure for our family. Yesterday for math, I had Ian choose 4 cities in the US at random (One from the east coast, one from the central US, one from the west and then one on the west coast). He then had to figure the milage and then calculate how much the trip would cost in gas according to the national average price/gallon. He was suprised at how "low" the cost was until he remembered that it had to be "round trip". He also had to figure out how often to stop, (hotel prices), the estimated cost of food and the costs of attractions that he'd like to visit on his "imaginary" trip. He was shocked at how quickly costs can add up. Next week, for his "real life" math lesson, he'll be doing a grocery list and keeping track of those expenses...one lesson he WON'T ever be asked to do? Keep track of Mom's stitching expenditures!!! :) :) :)

Have a Totally Terrific Tuesday!!!!!

*Sharon