Speechless!

Hello again friends...two posts in one day! Well let me just tell you...I couldn't let this one go a moment longer....imagine my surprise on a rainy, gray, blustery day to go to my mailbox and find a package in there from none other than dear Julianne! Hmmm...I wondered...it's lumpy! I opened it up and found a tissue covered square and a card. I read the card and opened the tissue to find this beauty:

Isn't it just breath-taking? Isn't it just perfect? Gorgeous? Stupendous? I'm just flabbergasted that someone would take the time to do something so touching, so amazing for me. I tell you....after the drama from the weekend, it sure did bring real tears to my eyes to imagine that someone that I've never met, never spoken a word to other than just exchanged e-mails....would think enough of me to produce something so gorgeous for me. I'm stunned.

It just goes to show you that the tiniest of ripples makes a huge splash in someone's life, somewhere, sometime. Thank you Julianne! You had a big 'ol wave knock me down with your sincere, kind and loving act straight from your heart. Thank you! I don't know what to say...and my words are more than inadequate at what your RAK meant to me. I am forever grateful and ever indebted to you. Thank you for being my friend!

Nicole is forever finishing LOVELY things over on her blog and she tells on her posts that she listens to books on CD. Hmmmm...got me to thinking...how better to involve my TWO loves - reading and stitching into one thing? So I pulled out my Sony Walkman, bought some of those new fangled "ear buds" (in pink I might add) and took off to our local library. I got two books on CD last Wednesday - Man From Stoney Creek by Linda Lael Miller (I'm a smut novel reader at heart) and The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (of Tuesday's with Morrie fame). Well I finished the smut first...it was a humdinger let me tell you...Miller never lets a girl down ;) and on Saturday at work (yep...who'd a thunk that listening to a book on CD would let the hours fly by at work?!) I started The Five People You Meet in Heaven....let me tell you...I cried like a baby when I finished it this evening. My heavens does your needle fly as you listen and so entertaining! You don't have to lift your eyes off the fabric..you just go go go! Time flies and your so entertained!

Oddly the Mitch Albom book is basically about: how nothing in life is random, we're all interconnected....it spoke volumes to my heart as I listened....and both the happenings of the weekend and Julianne's sweet gift were illustrations of what is in the book. Lovely...I highly recommend it to all you girls/guys out there! Books on CD...what a way to spend the day :)

Went to the Library this evening...what's up next? Why it's Pretty Woman by Fern Michaels... a little light hearted smut :) Whew...can't take tear jerkers all the time :)

Exchanges and Surprises!

Hello Friends! Hope you all are doing well :) I had to work this weekend so I'm behind, on housework, blog reading, blog posting and more....plus I had a bit of an upsetting weekend (more on that later)....

Friday was a good day as I received an unexpected parcel in the mail from sweet Myrna...she sent me these goodies as a Random Act of Kindness:

A scissors fob - back view

A scissors fob - front view


whole kit and kaboodle - knitted dishcloth (love these!), marking pins made by her sister Reee (needed these!) and then of course the fob...wasn't that sweet?!

Myrna said the colors reminded her of me yellow and lavender...I'm happy she thinks of me in such pretty colors :) Not to mention yellow and pastels are my favorites!

On Saturday after a long, hard day of work I came home to find this from dear Sylvie. I'm sad to see this Seasonal Exchange end...Sylvie's been such a great partner! Here's what she made me for "Spring" and our final round:

Lovely stitching, lovely goodies, lovely workmanship and lovely friendship resulting from this exchange..."Thank you Sylvie!" I love it all :)

Now on to the "upsetting" bit: I'm not a hateful, mean, spiteful person...but there seems to be a lot of that in public...or at least it comes out at some point in people you don't expect it from...and an unfortunate experience has happened to me through Girl Scouting with another adult volunteer that had me reeling this weekend. I have decided after similar incidences occuring this year in Girl Scouting with other adult volunteer's that it was time for me to bow out...I'm the Service Unit Manager, leader, trainer, just about all things Girl Scouting and for the past 5 years it has been a pleasant experience for me, very rewarding and highly motivating to see young girls gain their footing in life. I've enjoyed being with new leaders and training them for a rewarding experience nurturing girls and being a positive role model. This year (as across the nation) was sort of a year of upheaval...there's a huge "restructuring" going on in Girl Scouts and because of it there's a lot more autonomy within the volunteer structure. Sadly, this is not bringing out the best in some people. After receiving a particularly nasty e-mail where this volunteer wrote in all CAPS and told me in no uncertain terms that she works "FULL TIME AND HAS A VERY HECTIC, BUSY EVENING SCHEDULE" blah...blah...blah... so I decided immediately that I was disassociating myself from the organization. I immediately wrote a letter of termination of my Service Unit Manager position and called the parents in my troop last night to let them know that I would see them through the last of the school year ending in May and then after that they'd have to find a new leader. I'm done....I feel badly for the girls that I'm letting down, but a lot of them are getting to that difficult age - they are bored with things and I'm not "cool" anymore...and I absolutely REFUSE to be a doormat to anyone and after being spoken too (written really) in all CAPS in a negative letter the volunteers can fend for themselves too...I'm outta there...I don't need a "formal" organization to teach my daughter(s) how to live morally, be a contributing member of society, to have manners, to think of others, to be all that they can be and to always remember to GIVE back...nope I can do that (and have done this) at home. So goodbye Girl Scouting...I wish you well....

To end on a positive note....as I don't like nastiness and negativity one iota(!)....freeing up my "schedule" a bit by dropping extra curricular things that took *a lot* of time...allowed me to resign-up for Becky's Seasonal Exchange...so there...I'm filling in with what I LOVE to do!

Thank you for sticking through with me until the ending here...I hate to bring hatefulness to my blog and posts...but it sure feels good writing it all down! Until next time - be happy! I sure am going to try to be that way!

Heather's RR Finish!

Hello Friends :) Hope this finds you all fit as fiddles! I finished Heather's NRR today! Whoop! And here's the pictures to prove it:

Complete RR (we're getting CLOSE! only 3 rounds left!)

The bottom of the RR to show how my square blended into the other two already stitched...looks good doesn't it?! Gives it a real "flow" to the layout I think...

And here's my block totally I used Prairie Schooler's new "Farmer's Almanac" for my square, just changed it up a bit...and see my horses behind the fence stitched over 1? Turned out cute, didn't they?!

Alrighty then...that's it for me...on to stitching my Fair and Square Earth day exchange....then it will be on to stitching two other exchanges....whew!

Until next time....stitch with joy!

Tuesday...

Hello Friends! Hope you all are doing well on this lovely Tuesday morning :) The sun is shining and the robins are singing sweetly outside my window (if I can hear between the pauses of munching and Fairly Odd Parents on Nickelodeon from my four little birds inside eating their breakfast).

Here's an update on Heather's RR:I added a piggy, half a cow, some floating windows, a porch roof and a fence yesterday....I think my plan is really coming together better than what I expected. I think I'm going to do the horses over one behind the fence by the house...what do you think?

Today my Dad and my stepmom is coming up to deliver a flexsteel sofa, chair, ottoman and roll of carpeting!!! Whoo hoo! The sofa and chair are only 3 years old and my others are as old as my marriage (12 years in April) and we're in much need of more seating and better seating...so Woot! I'm happy to have them. I think I'm going to use the chair and ottoman to make a "conversation" area by my stitching chair and window...that way while the kids are watching their shows in the evening Daddy and I can talk....we'll see....

The carpeting is for our unfinished basement, that's where I have my craft area (for my finishing) and the kids play with their toys so a piece of carpeting will be great to add to the concrete floor that gets cold in the winter....warm the place up a bit too....

So that's Tuesday for the Pfeiffer's. . . . hope that Tuesday is good for you all! Until next time, stitch with JOY!

Easter Monday

Hello Friends! Hope you all had a lovely Easter Weekend! Here's some photos of our Easter morning after Mass...and yep - the Easter Bunny returned with candy for the good little girls and boys :)

Our Family

Keith's Parents and the kiddos

These picturew were taken PRIOR to Ellie starting to make a downward descent....she came screaming into the kitchen about 3 hours later holding her ear. Telling me she had a "boo-boo in her ear". She's been ill with the cold like I have the past couple of weeks, but I thought she was on the mend....apparently I was wrong because I scooped her up and took her the clinic and she had a ruptured ear drum and double ear infection. She's on antibiotics and feeling a bit better today, but we have a day indoors planned for today and I'm hoping she just lies around watching cartoons and being still so she can get better...poor little pumpkin.

Last week I started a SAL on the Little House Needleworks Yahoo! Group. It's a Spring/Summer Garden Theme and Summer Garden was one that we could choose from - I started this last Wednesday (I think):

Country Cottage Needleworks - Summer Garden

Called for DMC

40 ct. lambswool linen

And here's my "start" on Heather's Neighborhood RR - I chose the spot between two barns without houses...so my plan is to stitch a house up and some animals from the new Farmer's Almanac from Prairie Schooler that way all the animals can choose which barn they sleep in....hope it turns out ok!

Heather's RR

Well folks that's all I've got for you today :) I hope this finds you all hale and hearty! Until next time - Stitch with joy!

Howdy-doo!

Howdy-doo friends! :) My Grandma Epperson would greet me when I was a little girl with a "howdy-doo" or "hello Miss Sunshine", and today with the sun brightly shining, not a cloud in the sky and the robins bopping around singing happily, that greeting just fit. :) Spring in Indiana, 'ya just can't beat it!

Well before we start the Easter weekend I thought I'd share a finish that was recently received by the lovely recipient Amy for her birthday:

Prairie Schooler's "Farm Fresh Eggs"

Finished as Egg Shaped Pinkeep

Stitched with DMC (changed the color of flowers to yellow instead of pink)

"A Happy Birthday to Amy!"

Well the Easter Bunny has been working hard for the Pfeiffer Clan! We've scheduled him with an egg laying sometime this afternoon (probably sometime when the kids are having their "quiet time" he'll pop outside and lay his eggs). Then Mr. Bunny will deliver baskets with the children's new Easter Sunday outfits for Mass tonight so that when they awake tomorrow morning bright and early at 6 a.m. for Mass, there at the foot of their bed will be their Easter Basket's filled with clothes for church. Then while we're at Mass, that rascally rabbit will come back with the Easter candy...as long as they have been good at Church that is ;) I believe that willy rabbit got each child a Hershey's Solid Milk Chocolate Bunny and a 6-pack of Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs. That should bring smiles all around to 4 cherub faces! Until the Mama Bunny says, "Bite off the bunny ears and grab an egg before your name gets put on a freezer bag and you put the rest of the candy away!" to be doled out S-L-O-W-L-Y over the next month.

HAPPY EASTER!

Exchange for Rosalie

Hello Friends! Yesterday I received word from Rosalie (no blog) that she received the personal exchange I did for her. Rosalie stated in her likes that she would like to own a pinkeep, a biscornu and one of those jazzed up tins. Well we all know I know all about jazzed up tins, lol!

Here's what I stitched for Rosalie:

Desing motifs taken from "Colonial Dry Goods" ~ Little House Needleworks ~ Diane Williams

stitched in called for DMC on 28 ct. coffee stained eveweave 2 over 1

I definitely am going to make one of these or at least stitch Colonial Dry Goods for myself in the near future (ha, ha, ha). I just fell in love with the design while I stitched this one and it wasn't necessarily on the top of my list before then, I liked it but didn't love it...you know what I mean.

Thanks for all the well wishes on the new job...today I was scheduled for the physical and drug screen...OH JOY.....

Hope you all have a Happy Easter...the bunny's been busy at our house :)

Until next time....stitch with joy!

Astonishing Exchange!

Look at this stunning, glorious, stupendously beautiful exchange I got from my dear friend Terry Check out these PICTURES!!!!

Tokens of Affection ~ Blue Ribbon Designs

Stitched by: Terry at "The Enchanted Burrow"

Personal 4-way Exchange Part 1

Terry and I along with two other lovely ladies are doing a 4-way Personal Exchange over the next 12 months...this was installment #1...BOY OH BOY....what a way to kick it off, huh?! Love it! Terry also wrote me the most amazing card and sent along the extra fibers (peeking out of the stitcher's pocket above) in case I wanted to stitch the accessories that match the pocket.

Terry this is one of the most perfect things I have ever received! It is gorgeously stitched, perfectly finished and I cherish it now and will for always. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart :)

On the home front:

Still battling this cold....yikes, I'm getting tired of coughing. Was offered a position at a hospital about 3 miles from my house yesterday, money is great...they are highly motivated to recruit me because of my Microbiology specialty and my experience...so the position is *very* flexible (which I need because of 4 kids) so I'll soon be adding a second "job" to my current "job" I'll be working both hospitals on the weekends one early a.m. one afternoon and then every other week I'll be working two evenings at this new position - after the DH gets home from work. So it's going to be good...I hope...or at least I hope that I don't make myself exhausted, but I'll make it work - it's always good to have a little extra cash flow. Wasn't even looking for a job, the Microbiology supervisor just "heard" about me and called 6 mos. ago and I turned him down, this time he called with more money and more flexibility...that helps to give a person incentive! LOL! So soon I'll be run in for a physical (hate doctors) and a drug test (I hope it's not monitored because I can go to the bathroom with someone watching)!

Alrighty then, that's me in a nutshell....on to clean and decorate for Easter. Until next time...stitch with joy!

New blogs with lovely bloggers....

Hello again friends, thank you for all your well wishes and kind words, they are like a balm to my soul and a smile in my heart :) My deepest gratitude to you all for stopping and taking the time to read my words and wish me well....thank you is inadequate really, but blogging has opened a whole new world to me and has given me so many people that I consider true friends. :) You make my world a brighter place!

So...I've recently ran across some blogs that I would like to take the time to draw attention to, they are new to blogging and I'd like to give them a warm welcome into our fellowship here in the on-line stitching/blogging world...so pop on over and say a "howdy-doo" to them (these are in no particular order):

Kim B at Stitchful Thinking
Sara at Sara's Simple Stitching
Twana at Beads and Threads
My dear friend Staci at Snippits and Stash

and last but not least....a recent client of mine, who I didn't know, but isn't new to blogging and has a super wonderful blog with lots of yummy projects so let me introduce Petra at Time to Stitch and after reading her blog I'm getting hooked on the idea of Pine Mountain pillows...LOL!

Alright folks...that's all for me today...I did some finishing today and started a new project! Country Cottage Needlework's Summer Garden...I have a really cool finishing idea perculating in my brain....we'll see if it all comes together.

Until next time - Stitch with Joy!

Share my Happiness!

Hello Friends : )
Long time no post...it's been a long week. First we had our computer totally crash and I lost everything (or just about). My husband had to slick the hard drive and reload everything. So it's been a long road to get it back to working order. Then my kids were on Spring Break so there was lots of fun activities until last Tuesday when I came down with a severe cold. I've not felt this bad since last year this time when I had pneumonia. I had to work this past weekend and it was like living in a fog world. I came home early both days...just went in to get the bare minimum done and then back home I came. Each time falling into bed exhausted and sleeping the entire rest of the day. Good news though...I think I turned a corner last night (my fever broke) and I'm feeling much better today!

And what a great day it is! Diane Williams of Little House Needleworks updated their site (found Here) today. Here's what I've been waiting for - the unveiling of "Wool Needlebook and Fob Set":

Wool Needle Book and Fob

copyright Little House Needleworks

You're probably wondering why I've been waiting? Well imagine a cold and snowy day in Indiana in January and I'm checking my e-mail to discover I've been e-mailed by Diane Williams herself! (yes!) and then she tells me she's looking for an over 1 stitcher and a finisher (ok!) and she's wants to ask me (YES!) if I would like to be said over 1 stitcher and finisher? (is she kidding?!)

Well lo and behold Diane wasn't kidding and I became said over 1 stitcher and finisher for the fob part of the above design! YIPPEE! and just to prove it here's the pictures I took - with said scissors fob on my own scissors:

And Diane was the friend that encouraged me to start finishing for the public too. Along with some other friends that I asked about what they thought...so...there you go...MY HAPPINESS is finally unveiled!!! I'm tickled to my toes, because I never dreamed, never thought that anything that I was doing was being seen by someone in the needlework industry. It floored me and still does to this day. I was honored to have worked with Diane and hopefully my work was good enough that she'll seek me out in the future. It was a dream, a very dream, that I was able to do this...and I am still aghast and blushing with pride (there I said it and I'm not sorry for it!) LOL!
I'm proud that my work was seen as honorable enough for Diane to take notice. I don't know how I kept a secret for so long but I did!

Please don't think I'm bragging on myself, because that's the last thing I want people to think...I'm not and what I did making that fob anybody can do....I was just happy it was me for one tiny moment in the spotlight...Me, Vonna from Indiana, just a Mom, in the spotlight (well for anyone that loves LHN and is a cross stitcher that is)...it made my day! Thank you Diane for trusting me...it was my sincere pleasure and I know you know it! LOL! :)

Until next time friends, stitch with joy, I am!

VIRUSES!

Well my good computer was infected with a virus from the internet...somehow? We don't know exactly all I know is that my husband has been working on it for the last 48 hrs. He ended up having to slick our hard-drive and start over.... (he's not very happy...)
SO I've lost all of my e-mail contacts. If you and I have had e-mail contact in the past or you want to have e-mail contact with me in the future....could you send me a quick note so that I can capture your e-mail again?! Please!
Thank you!

Dreaming of Sand and Sun...

Well friends....I'm dreaming about Sand and Sun because today at the end of the school day is the beginning of our "Spring Break"....this was just snapped moments before I sat to do this post.....
Yep, Sand and Sun isn't in my future for Spring Break but hot cocoa and stitching in my jammies are just a few short hours away....in fact I just received notification that the kids will be released 1 hour early today from school because of the weather...we're just getting the effects of a snowband that is moving through the state they are predicting 9 inches of snow before nightfall...what you see doesn't look like much but it just has accumulated in the hour about 1 inch worth and it's snowing furiously outside! SO off to school I shall go in 2 hours time and then it is off with my clothes and on with the jammies and my rear end has a date with my stitching chair! I know I won't be stood up :)

Look what sweet Sue from Liv 'n Laf sent to me as a RAK! Isn't it the sweetest?

I don't have a snazzy fob like this with one of the scissors caps! and she made it all sunshiny and springy! The little fish dangling is a special added touch...Sue wrote that "A fish in Chinese Feng Shui means prosperity and success - both of which you encompass". Wasn't that a sweet sentiment?! I think a lot of dear Sue and am ever so glad I met her acquaintance through blogging. She enabled me to take the plunge on my floor stand...and for that alone, I am ever grateful!

The trip to Southern Indiana has been cancelled due to my Mom falling in the parking lot on the way into work on Wednesday...it was a bit icy and it was black ice so she slipped and fell on her right side. She broke the head of her elbow and her whole side from hip to knee is completely black and blue...that coupled with the fact that 50% of us are ill right now with sinus/cold related maladies decided our fate...and now throw in 9 inches of snow and 2 hours worth of driving in it...well.....

But alls well that ends well and I'm happy to park my rump in my chair and stitch until my hearts content! Who needs sand and sun?! Certainly not I as long as I have my needle and thread! And throw the kids in the mix for antics and fun!

Until next time....Stitch with smiles :)

Fair Squares for Laura...

Here's my friendship squares for this round:

Freebie from Casey Buonaugurio found Here

Frog Biscornu

Stitched on 32 ct. Creamy Cocoa from Sassy's

DMC Floss

Cute isn't it? Wanted to keep it myself! LOL! Hope Laura enjoys the squares ;)

Thank you for your kind words of support for my Finishing Service. I haven't gotten a bite yet...but hopefully someday! Spring Break is upon us...starting Friday, so I may not be around much as we've got lots of fun planned: going to see the grandparents in Haubstadt, Indiana, going to Chuck-E-Cheese, Mommy and Daddy will hopefully have a night out alone (see -"going to see the grandparents), going to see "Horton Hears a Who", going to Lazer Tag and going to make a trip to Toy's R Us to pick out a new toy for each kiddo. Should be fun!

Until next time....

A new endeavor...

Some friends of mine have encourage me to try this out...so I shall give it a whirl, I am opening: The Twisted Stitcher's Finishing Service for business. I am going to start out slow, with just a few finishes and will add more if there is an interest. If I don't have a particular finish listed that someone may be interested in, please contact me for a personal quote and negotiation.

Thank you for all the wonderful comments everyone left for Jacob...he has gotten quite a thrill from them all! Thank you so much!

Until next time...

Award!

Hello Friends! This post doesn't have anything to do with stitching, but it does have something to do with fine arts and one of the four of my pride and joys.

March is recognized as "Youth Art Month" here in the U.S. We live in Bloomington, Indiana - home of my alma mater Indiana University home of the Hurrying Hoosiers. Today our son, Jacob, was awarded an award for his colored pencil drawing entitled "Swim with the Dolphins" in the Youth Art Month Exhibition held at the IU Art Museum. He was one of nine students representing his Elementary School. There is a population of over 600 students attending his school so it was a big honor for Jacob's work to be recognized!

Jacob with his award standing by his drawing "Swim with the Dolphins"

"Swim with the Dolphins" by Jacob

Jacob with his Art Teacher - Mrs. Lee

I must say....and I know this is bragging so if you don't want to read that's ok....BUT I was so proud of dear Jacob! So proud....he's a sensitive little boy with a big heart and sometimes he gets picked on by more dominant kids....this was Jacob's day to shine...Mommy and Daddy were very proud! Go Jacob!! He's always been the best little artist and I've thought so for years and this award just affirms my belief. We hadn't seen the drawing before today and I wish I could have photographed our responses when we saw it! I was shocked at how good it really was! His Daddy was too...it's sort of like a Picasso drawing! LOL! Now I'm getting carried away...but honestly his use of color and the depth of the piece was perfection...in my humble motherly opinion :) It was a great drawing. There were MANY pieces that were there from the other 12 Elementary Schools from Bloomington, and I was simply astonished at some of them...these were all kids from Grade 2 (ages 8) to Grade 6 (age 11). There's some mighty fine, young artist residing in Bloomington, Indiana. Congratulations to all the artists awarded honors today! Yea!

I'll leave you with a snap of all of my pride and joys on our walk back to our car...this is on the Campus of IU - and although there are many fine colligate institutions all over the US, IU is one of most lovely colleges around - its all the limestone stately buildings from our own quarries that make it that way. Bloomington limestone is featured in the Empire State Building, Federal and Government buildings in Washington D.C. and is shipped around the world for its high quality...just a little FYI from good 'ol me :)

Pfeiffer Kiddos with their punch and cookies from the Exhibition Reception

Thank you for letting me share a little profuse blathering about my babies :0) Until next time...