Be Joyful in Hope...

We're almost there....

to another weekend. Yippee Skippee, I need a weekend :)  how 'bout you?

By the skin of my teeth...

I finished another Love Quilts square that I had promised to stitch, and whose deadline date was approaching faster than I realized (March 1). But in record time, I got 'er done. And without further ado here it is:

"Be Joyful in Hope"

Collaboration Thread Pack Series by:

Little House Needleworks

and

Crescent Colours

Stitched with DMC on 14 ct. white aida

Joyful in Hope...

was a perfect design for one of the themes posted for Charlotte's Kids. To learn more about Charlotte and the themes that are stitched in her memory for the sick children, please click HERE . Although I'm a relatively new member to Love Quilts, I feel the need to at least direct any of you that may have a twinge of interest in stitching a square(s) for these kids to sign up and become a member. There are squares with deadlines of course (but they are usually 3-4 months in length) but there are also many squares that can be stitched called Any Child Squares . These can be stitched and sent at any time - no deadlines - you just have to become a member of Love Quilts and let them know that is what you wish to do. The Love Quilts Stitching Directions  are relatively simple. Its always a time to be "joyful in hope" and we should always remember that it is "better to give than to recieve". But in this instance, I think I get back ten fold what I put into stitching for Love Quilts. Why don't you give it a try? You'll see what I mean.

Finally...

our Katie won the City of Bloomington's Black History Month Essay Contest with her first place essay about Cathay Williams. Last evening was the award ceremony and I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Katie receiving her award from Bloomington's Mayor, Mark Kruzan

Katie reading her essay to the assembly

(only the first place winner had to read their essay and she was nervous but did a great job!)

WHEW...glad that's over...

Katie with Mayor Kruzan and the other essay winners

Katie with her writer's workshop teacher Mrs. Polley

Of course....

Daddy and I were so proud, as was Mrs. Polley. Ian, Jacob and Ellie were bored, until the conclusion of the assembly and pizza was served - that got their party started :) 

And what about Katie? Well she was happy to be recognized, but she became ecstatic when she was given a $100 check from some wonderful sponsors of the Essay Contest. Then on the way home when Daddy said there would be a round of Hot Fudge Sundaes for the Pfeiffer Kid Quartet....well that was the icing on the cake!  ;)

The Essay Winners with their award sponsors

Thank you...
for sticking with me to the end of this diatribe :) and until we meet again...
I'll be keeping my hands to work and heart to God!
Hugs and love,

In the Garden with Sarah...

Greetings my dear friends... Today I had a stitching finish that I started after my last post and I'm so excited to show you! I'll let the pictures do the talking for now:

Sarah Seifer 1826

Designed by: Anne Brown of The Goode Huswife

Stitched with: DMC

Stitched on: 32 ct. Belfast hand-dyed Autumn Fields

I'm thrilled to bits....

to have this one completed. Sarah has been on my (never-ending) "list" for a while. She's a purdy one and I will have her framed up sometime soon (hopefully - if I can butter up my hubby) to grace our wall o' Adam and Eve's someday.

Speaking of never ending lists....

have you seen some of the fantabulous things coming out of Nashville this past weekend? Well to mention a few that I have my eye on....Primitive Traditions "Plenty and Grace" and "Sarah Elliott's Homeport" (wowzers!), Plum Street Samplers "The Flood" (yeppers, its coming home with me soon), Blackbird Designs (do these ladies ever do anything I don't want to grab immediately? NO! ). I'm trying NOT to look any more but these have caught my immediate attention (and dollars)....

What is next....

I have a square to stitch for Love Quilts that is due by March 1st...so I need to get my needle in gear for that one....then I shall move on to something, probably one old, forgotten, forlorn project that I'll try to bang out so I can get on to my next new start! :)  You know, Vonna's "finish an oldie and get to start a newbie" program. It can work for me, I know it can!

Until next time...

I'll be keeping my hands to work and my heart to God, just like always!

Hugs and love,

Something new...

I just found....

a delightful blogger that I am happy to introduce to my sampler stitching, primitive stitching friends. The very nice lady's name is Beth and you can view her blog at: Summer House Stitche Workes Blog

And then lo and behold I found that this lovely lady is a designer and you can find her works at:  Summer House Stitche Workes Website 

Summer House Stitche Workes has me intrigued with a new design series entitled "Mr. President". So go and hop on over to Beth's blog and welcome her to our stitching and blogging community! Our community is  so loving, welcoming and supportive of every person and their different desires, tastes and talents, that I know you all will make her feel welcome. And while you are there...take a gander at Mr. President #1 - George Washington.....I'm thinking he'll be joining my family soon ;o)

Keith....

thanks you for your well wishes on his survival of playing my nursemaid. My first surgery went well, I have the next one on Monday...luckily its not too terribly bad...I'm only ouchy for about 48 hours. Then back to normal for the most part. Keith's worst part was keeping me corralled in bed, as the pain meds make me a little goofy.....OK, a little goofier than normal :)

Until next time....

I'll be keeping my hands to work and heart to God, just like always!

Hugs and love to you all and have a happy weekend!

P.S. For any stitching buddies that live within driving distance of my home...would you be interested in having a stitch day at my house? Maybe a little stitching, maybe a little show and tell, a little lunch out somewhere and a whole lotta fun? If so drop me a line! I've got one fish on the line, and would love to have a couple more join us!

Good Monday Morning...

Happy Monday....
if I repeat it enough times will I feel happy about Mondays? ;)

A very kind...
thank you to all of you who left me sweet words and comments about my Family Sampler finish and also about my sweet babes. You will never know how much fun I have reading all your comments and how much joy you bring to my life. Thank you! :)

My new start....
well people,  I forgot when I was all drunk on my own happiness for finishing the Family Sampler that I had made a commitment that was closing in f-a-s-t...and that was to stitch for this sweet little boy Steven K.  so the new start I envisioned didn't happen (more on that later...). Instead, I kept my promise and pulled my things and got to work on Steven's block for his Love Quilt. F-I-N-A-L-L-Y  I got it done (blasted color changes...) yesterday afternoon. My family laughed aloud when I shouted on Friday night that if I didn't get this done I was going to tear my hair out! It was really a very moving moment....think about Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind...when she's standing in that rotted field and holds up those pitiful carrots and shakes her hand at the sky and says "As God as my witness, I will never be hungry again..."  Well envision me in my ratty night gown, my hair wet from my shower and plastered to the sides of my head, shaking my fist and saying..."I'm going to tear my hair out if I don't get these stinking dolphins done..." Well, thankfully sanity prevailed....

"Dolphins for Steven K."

taken from a Dimensions kit

What about that new start?....

WELL the one I envisioned (and have dreamed about for nights) was started last night! Whoo hoo! It should be a quickie...so hopefully soon you'll get to see what all the hoopla in my head is all about ;) or if you are like most, you care not. Either way...it's all good. :)

Today...

my hubby dearest is at home on FMLA, I'm having a little procedure done on this Monday and the next three Mondays in February, and he's vowed to help me in sickness and in health, you know. So fingers crossed it won't be a big deal for him - for me it remains to be seen. But my fingers are crossed, please cross yours too? Thank you :)

Until next time...

I'll be keeping my hands to work (on my new start!) and my heart to God, just like always.

Hugs and love,