Truly Bad...

Hello Friends!.....

Well I don't do this very often, and I'm truly ashamed to even show you my badness....but do you want to see what was in my mailbox yesterday afternoon? Maybe we'll look at this as a public confession and you my confessors? :o) Now before we get into this let's remember: I am not a high maitenance woman, I live pretty simply, we do not go out to eat except for 2 times per month, I do not get pedicures, manicures, my hair done - except to get it cut a couple of times per year (I wear it up so no need - plus my Mom used to be a beautician, if I need a trim she does it), I don't wear fancy clothes (I'm a mother of 4 - through the week I wear casual clothes and on the weekend I work at a hospital so scrubs it is)...so with all that being said. Cross stitching is my one guilty pleasure....ok now for the confession.....

In the past year.....

I've undergone some changes in my tastes toward cross stitching. I used to be all about smalls. Couldn't get enough of 'em....give me the smalls....pinkeeps, biscornu, needlepockets, stitching pockets...you get the idea. Well I have gazoodles of smalls, I have them in baskets, on shelves, on tables, hanging on doorknobs...well just about everywhere. They are cute, they are adored - but now I want to concentrate on walls. I've got a lot of empty walls.

So with that lead up....Our bedroom (mine and my husband's that is) truly needs a make over on the walls. Furniture - good, Linens - fabulous, accessories - great, walls - suck. So.....I decided that I would make a (insert Isaac Hayes voice please) Loooooove Room. Corny? I know...but that's what I'm going to do so I picked up these to stitch for our (insert Isaac Hayes Voice) Looooove Room:

A new favorite of mine Paulette of Plum Street Samplers. I just can't get enough of her designs (as you'll see later)....anyway I picked up her new Love Notes and her older Beloved:


Then....Miss Crescent designed these LOVlies - All in a Heart and Love Birds...both exceptionally cute, I think. Nice additions to the (insert Isaac Hayes voice) Loooove Room:

Then.....we remember my lamentations about desiring Sampler Walls throughout my home? Well what would not go better than a Carriage House Samplings Sampler? Hmmm...I ask you that? So I got Salina Schultz:

And.....we all know my affinity for Diane....no explanation needed there, I believe that State Fair may be one of the first things I stitch up, love ya Diane ;)

Stockings...did someone say stockings? Oh heaven's to Betsy...I saw these and about did a backflip! Stockings....seasonal....Vonna? Oh, WOWZERS! So these came to live with me too (and notice that one is entitled "Love is in the Air" Oh yeah...they'll be living in the (insert voice) Loooove Room):

Then ...... L*K did it again, this is one that not only means something to me spiritually on a "live your best life" level, but it's just darn cute:

Now....I told you about Paulette above and her samplers that shall live in the...well you know the "room".....well happening upon her blog one day when I was searching for her website because a design had caught my fancy - well now - then I start to go back through all her designs and I HAD to have them...pronto (there's more on my list) but these were the starters A Handworks Pace, From His Hand and Morning Bird:

The Primitive Needle.....love her, just do! She had me at Hallow Gameboard...so I could NOT live without these - Earth Sampler, A & E (for an Adam and Eve "wall"?) and Simply Live:

Old Standards....can you beat them? I don't think so......so since I am unofficially a Prairie Schooler Collector, these were adopted as well:

Did you see .... the little nose peeking out in the above picture top right hand corner? Well that would just be Mr. Chatty thinking about turning the light out on this blog post, he thinks enough - is enough!:

Isn't he...... just the cat's meow? Little lover boy....

Until Next time....hugs and best wishes, as your count your blessings and your stitches, from our house to yours! XXXX

Only where the heart is can the treasure be found.

~Sir James M. Barrie

For where you treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:21

Quaker Virtues part One

Hello sweet friends :o) You may remember my linking to Dianne's Blog - Suburban Stitcher because from the very moment I saw this, from the very instant that my eyes fell upon this creation, I was salivating like a starving man on Dessert Island! Look at Dianne's mother's finish of Quaker Virtures by By Gone Stitches:

*SHAMELESSLY* stolen from Dianne's Blog - sorry Dianne!

So some friends and I .....(Nicole, Terry and AmySC) decided to start a Quaker Virtures SAL starting on Ash Wednesday, so yesterday while I was fasting and reflecting I started QV and here it is:

Quaker Virtures - By Gone Stitches - Part 1

Stitched on: 25 ct. French Country Mocha Lugana

One over One using Victorian Motto Sampler Threads

Nothing to write home about yet..... however it is a good picture of the fabric. I love French Country Mocha in whatever count, fabric type, whatever...it's just gorgeous. My colorway will be this slightly varigated true red with a gold accent fiber for the words/letters. I think that stitched over one like this is making it look delicate...we shall see as I progress and get more done on it. But I'm loving it so far, it's nice to not have to worry about color changes, just load your needles and off you go!

Finally.... I'll leave off with a couple of snaps of my most ardent admirers, my true buddies and everlasting friends :o)

My Chatty on his Kitty Sill

My ill little bunny princess Ellie

Until next time.....love and best wishes, as you count your blessings and your stitches, from our house to yours XXXX

Every one has a gift for something, even if it is the gift of being a good friend.

~Marian Anderson

My Signature RR Chart...

Hello Friends, I have some stitching to share with you. It is time for the rotation of the Halloween RR that I am participating in. This round was my turn to stitch on Carol's. Once again I used Prairie Schooler's When Witches Go Riding...this has surely become my signature pattern because I've stitched it on 3 of the RR's to date, I don't know what that says about me. Either - a.) lack of creativity OR b.) I'm a witch .... but anyway here it is in all it's glory:

Prairie Schooler ~ When Witches Go Riding

Carol's Witching for Stitching RR

If you have this chart...... you'll notice I stitched it backwards...she's supposed to be coming out the back side of the house on the left hand side. But since I was directed to start at the corner of the left hand side per Carol, I tranposed the chart so that she was exiting from the right side. Took some doing and some studying and counting, but it came out ok, I believe.

Here's a picture....of the whole RR...pretty cute Halloween Town.

We're trying to return....to normal around here, that is something that is very hard, but sweet faces like this are the reason enought to get out of bed in the morning:

FAT Tuesday....is today of course. The last day before the long 40 days of Lent. I have a special intention for my 40 days of Lent and when we come out the other side I hope to emerge on Easter Morning a better person, like a butterfly emerging from its chrysallis. We'll see....but until that time, in celebration of Fat Tuesday, I'm getting a Whopper! :o) Nothing like a little red meat to gird your spirit :o)

And Until Next time.....love and best wishes, as your count your blessings and your stitches, from our house to yours! XXXX

God is like a father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence Him. Psalm 103:13

Never Give Up...

My heart is sore...and I'm at a bit of a loss. As I was driving around today doing my errands that have been on hold for a week, it struck me that I have to have something to cleanse my spirit and to fuel my fire. I realized in that moment it was writing. See, that is one of the best things that I can do. It is a God given talent of mine, I start writing and it flows and makes sense. I don't understand it - people ask "how?" and I don't have an answer. My words just happen. Through my life my writings have entertained, they have educated, they have informed, they have even been the nonsensical musings of a 38 year old wife and mother. But the words, the feelings, the emotions that my words may evoke in others are mine. Yes, those are mine.

I could go....on and on feeling sorry for myself, feeling sorry for Ben, but I won't because that is not what I should do. No, what I should do is bring Ben's story to you, so that he can change you. He has changed me. He has changed mine. Ben was a troubled youth - how could he not be when he was born into a home of a mother that was less than adequate at caring for him and his needs. He had to be a fighter to survive the conditions he was forced to live under. He was brought to my Aunt at 20 months old. She adopted him. From that point on....he was ours. We never thought of him as an outsider, as someone else's, he was our baby. We loved him with our whole hearts. At the age of 13 his Mom was taken from him by breast cancer. But even before that time, while my Aunt was sick, he lived with my Mama. Again, he was ours. Last week, seven days from this day, our baby was taken from us, but he lives on. He lives on in the bodies of three people that had no hope. He lives in the bodies of three people that were praying for a miracle. Praying for life. Ben lost his life, to be their miracle. Ben was an organ donor. He donated his organs, his bone and his tissue to help those in need. I urge you today to make sure if you feel like you would like to be an organ and tissue donor for those that are awaiting the gift of life, that you sign up to be one. Tell your family, tell your friends your wishes - for we never know the hour or the time. Ben didn't live a long life but he lived a full life. He brought love, peace and happiness - yes, always smiles and happiness - to those that knew and loved him.

I don't know...what the future holds for me, I don't know when I'll get back to every day living, I don't know when my needle and thread will hold appeal for me or comfort me. But I do know one thing. Whatever and however this blog will be incorporated into my life it will also incorporate my Christianity. To be a person of faith, to be one that loves and believes in a life after this life - has almost become like a four letter word in this world in which I live. But in order to "know" me fully and embrace me, you have to also understand my devout Christian feelings that I hold in my heart, in my mind and in every fiber of my being. I was born a Catholic, raised a Catholic and will forever hold in my heart, mind, body and soul the love of my Lord and Savior. For this gift given to me from my parents, I rejoice! This is who I am. Yet, I was sort of hiding, sheilding the truth from this blogging world because I was afraid. Afraid, that people knowing I was Christian would set me up for ridicule. Would not come to my blog because of my beliefs. But you know what? I care not. I am not here to indoctrinate you, never that. Indoctrination comes from your own heart. But perhaps reading my words, may help someone. May touch someone in need. Perhaps even bring hope to those that are hopeless. Time will tell.

A bit of a break....is always good to refresh the mind and spirit. Kind words offered in friendship and love is salve to a wounded soul. I need those and will need them in the upcoming days. I want to sincerely thank those of you that took the time out of your busy lives to write to me. Your words sent to me a bit of sunshine on a very cloudy day. Wise people say in times of trouble and unease that your true friends are shown, and that seems to hold true. My true friends were shown and stepped up to the plate to offer their words and friendship to me. For that I shall be eternally grateful - for I read those words as a starving man eats bread. Gobbling them up to fill a hole so wide, so deep, so dark, I hardly knew what would fill it. The hole is still there - maybe not so wide, maybe not so deep, maybe not quite as dark, but it is ever present and I expect it will be for a time to come. But I'm filling it up! I'm filling it up with prayers, with scripture and with the kindness of others. This gaping hole will soon be filled and just a little mar on the distant horizon - never to be forgotten - but not as raw and unyielding as in past days.

Until next time....whenever that may be....I ask you to take a good long look at your own life. I try to do that from time to time, and if you have been a follower of this blog - you know that I do this. I'm my own best critic. I've been ashamed of myself many times in my life, taking the easy road rather than climbing the hard one, listening with ears wide open rather than turning my ears away, speaking ill when I should have kept my mouth shut, being judgemental when I know not what someone is going through or what got them to that point.

If you take anything away from this verbal flood, please take one thing....live your life, live it well, live it good, never give up and never look back with things left undone. Ben didn't leave anything undone, he left no stone unturned and I won't either.

"Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good."

Romans 12:21

All for Ben

This young man by birth is my first cousin, however his Mother (my Aunt) passed away five years ago, and since that time he has been raised by my Mother. God called him home. All I ask of any of you that have esteem for me - please pray for my brother - this isn't about me - this is all for Ben. A testimony to his life. Please pray for him as he now lives in the arms of God.

Bernard “Ben” Francis Weber II , 19, of Haubstadt died at Deaconnes Hospital on February 12, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. due to injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.

Ben was a 2008 graduate of Escuela Caribe located in the Dominican Republic. He did extensive missionary work with the New Horizons Youth Ministry in the Dominican Republic where he was loved by the native children. Ben was currently attending Ivy Tech College working toward a Psychology Major. He intended to become an advocate for troubled children and work in youth ministry. Even in death, Ben’s loving and giving nature was realized as his vital organs, tissue and bone were donated to the Indiana Organ Procurement Program. His final lasting testimony to his Christian Faith was giving the gift of life to those in need.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Sarah Weber and his grandparents Bernard and Eileen Weber all of Haubstadt. Ben is survived by his brother, Ethan Weber, his Aunt and guardian, Monica Epperson, his co-guardian Tandy Jones and his extended family that loves him dearly.

"For He shall raise you up on Eagle's Wing and make you to shine like the sun"

Lo Framed!

Hello Friends! Yesterday....the phone went a ring-a-ling-a-ling and I saw it was Hobby Lobby on the caller ID and *knew* what they were calling for....Lo's Frame was IN! Hootie Hoot! :o)

So although it was snowing something to beat the band..... and we already had 14 inches on the ground and were in the process of adding another 4 inches on top of the white stuff already out there...I was getting Lo's frame come "hell or high water".....as my Pap used to say....or maybe I should say "hell or high snow"? Because it's not going to be water anytime soon with 11 degree temperatures :o( Anyway, the frame made it the house with me ~ I'm sure you didn't have any doubt in me :o)

Last night I mounted the stitched piece...... and this morning after getting my kids to school and running to Michael's to get some hardware for framing I needed to get the job done, here is the final showing of Lo:

Lo How a Rose ~ Brightneedle
Taken from Better Homes and Gardens Cross Stitch Christmas ~ Celebrations in Stitches ~ copyright 2001 by Better Homes and Gardens
I used the DMC conversion and stitched on 28 ct. Silkweaver Solo Cashel Linen

I couldn't be more proud, honestly... this hangs in all it's glory with its rust colored rose swag in my Entry, so the first thing you see when I open the door (besides myself, of course - TeeHee!) is Lo. Above the door hangs our Crucifix, and what a fitting place to hang Lo ~ since He (of course) is the subject of the piece. Tippity Tap....I'm dancing in delight!

It may be a while before I'm back...... My rotation is in a shambles as I have some commitments I need to take care of before I dedicate myself to anything else, including my stitching rotation. But I'll be around before you know it! As always, thank you for your comments, your friendship and your visits!

Until next time...... love and best wishes as you count your stitches and your blessings, from my house to yours! X X X X