The Final MMMM SAL update

Hi friends! It is hard to believe that today our oldest, Jacob, is 20 years old! We will have family over for cake tomorrow. I'll share a picture of the cake with you soon. ;)

I did it! I stitched up 5 small pieces for the Mega Mini Month Madness SAL I am in. =) The fifth finish is for my friend who  is in her first year of being a teacher.

Isn't this sweet?! I found this pattern at the library in the September issue of Cross-Stitch & Needlework magazine. I used to subscribe, but rarely find a pattern I want to stitch. So I let the library pay the subscription. ;) We live a 3 minute walk from the public library.

This pattern is by Joan Elliott and is one of three charts simply listed as "Back-to-School Trio".

I stitched mine one over one on 28ct evenweave, using all the DMC charted. I am thinking I may make this darling, little sampler into a magnet for my friend. Not sure yet. I did change what was to be stitched on the blackboard. I thought putting her name there was a neat idea for a first grade teacher.

I found this really cool, old looking (but brand new) terrarium many months ago at Kohl's on clearance. I forgot the exact price I paid. It was about $15.00, that is it!! I knew I needed it for displaying cross stitch when I saw it.

So fun! And different. (Yes, there are two poodles tucked in there with the fall stitchery.)

It snowed a little last night. It will disappear with the sun. Fine with me. ;)

Busy day today. I am going to give Mabel a haircut and bake a birthday cake. =)

I hope you have a wonderful day! Thank you for stopping by.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

French Knot Henry Framed

Hi friends! We are having cool days and cold nights. I got a little more done in the garden BEFORE I got the cortisone injections into both my hip bursas yesterday. CRAZY PAINFUL INJECTIONS. Worst cortisone shots I have ever had. I asked the doctor if he used a horse needle this time?!?! He said he really wanted to make sure he got in there to help me out. Unfortunately I will have increased pain for one or more days still. Then I am hoping for greatly reduced pain.

I forgot to share with you a picture of the French Knot Henry framed in the frame I finally settled for. I wanted copper, but had to settle for brass in the 5x5 size. I never found anything locally at numerous stores. I bought this frame off Amazon inexpensively.

So glad Mabel and Henry are both done in french knots and hanging together.

I am planning to give Mabel a haircut Friday. Then I will get some pictures of her too. Here is one for now. The poor girl misses Jacob. He is gone from morning til late at night four days a week. She is laying on his small drawstring backpack, school books and his nursing shoes.

Over halfway done with my school themed stitchery. I would love to make it finish #5 before the end of the MMMM SAL.

Thank you for your kind words and friendship. I am so glad you stopped by.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

MMMM SAL Finish #4

Hi friends! I got a little bit more garden work done. The key is to keep it "little", then I do not experience spiked pain. Mild days and nights for this weekend. Very nice.

I finished the stitching on my fourth finish for the MMMM SAL I am in. This is 'Just One More Stitch' by Victoria Sampler.

I changed every single color but one. I used all DMC. I stitched this two over two on mystery/almond 30ct linen.

I also simplified the borders on the tops. Did not want/have the buttons. I like it. =)

Instead of a red heart button beneath my name on the back, I added a poodle charm. ;)

Gave Brian a haircut (a lot easier than Henry). Next up for a shampoo, blow dry and cut is Miss Mabel.

I am now working on a Christmas gift for a long time friend of mine. She is not a stitcher. We went to college together to become Veterinary Nurses. She now earned a second degree and has changed direction in her life. She is a first grade teacher now. =) We very rarely see each other. But this small school themed gift will be mailed to her.

Have a beautiful day in the Lord my friends,
Vickie

A Little Finishing

Hi friends! It has been at or below freezing most nights now, so I dug out my dahlia tubers. I have been making tiny progress in the garden. BUT my pain has slowly receded back down to "normal" levels. Well, except that it won't go away on the right. And that IS unusual for me over these last 10 years. I normally have constant pain only on the left side. So I will keep the appointment for the cortisone shot next week. Thank you for all of your kind words, prayers and for caring. ♥

It was making me CRAZY leaving my MMMM SAL finishes in a pile. I just don't do that!! I normally do the finishing work after I stitch something up. So I made one of my finishes from last week up into an ornament. It was the one I am not showing you yet. It is on it's way to my friend right now. I do not expect it to arrive very quickly though. I will show you the back for now. ;)

I am still working on 'Just One More Stitch'. Only because I took a few days break to read The Drowning Spool by Monica Ferris. A good read, except the dumb swearing that she puts in there occasionally. I also read Blessed John The Wonderworker. This is an excellent (but long) book about a saint in the Orthodox Christian Church.

Another thing I did lately instead of stitching is give Henry a haircut. Let me tell you, this is not fun. I have never had a harder time clipping a dog. And I have given our Kerry Blue Terrier, our Lhasa Bichon and Miss Mabel haircuts. And Rascal. A 19 year old neighbor toy poodle!! You know, maybe Henry is just as difficult as Rascal was. At least I got paid $40 to clip Rascal. (Sadly, Rascal is no more.)

The problem is that Henry is so delicate and bony. He positively yipes when I clip his legs. And you just about go deaf when he cries from clipping the mats. I could not let someone else clip him. I know they would man handle him. He is very good, just tiny and wimpy. Sorry Henry.
Here he is after the bath and blow dry.

My fuzzy, little buddy. Here he is after the haircut. A way different looking dog or what?!

This is looking up into our ginkgo tree in front of our home. So very golden now.

I have to give Brian and then Mabel a haircut coming up here too! But I WILL get back to the stitching and soon!

Have a super day my friends! Thank you for stopping by.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Around The World Blog Hop

Hi friends! Here I am with the Around The World Blog Hop. I was invited by our friend June in England. I am to answer four questions in this Blog Hop.

1.  What am I working on? Well, I am stitching the Concordia University Christmas ornament for Emerson. I am stitching it over one (with half cross) on 45 count!!! I needed to make it fit the little, square, silver charm frame. I am also stitching up an ornament for myself. =) Why not I say?!? It is Victoria's Sampler 'One More Stitch'.

2.  How does my work differ from others of it's gender? hahaha! HAHAHA! heeheeheehee! If you have visited my blog more than once, you MAY HAVE NOTICED I AM OBSESSED WITH POODLES AND PINK!!!! So I love to stitch pink things and pretty things. I love to stitch poodles. I will go out on a limb here and say I am pretty sure no one else stitches as many poodles as I! woo hoo! I find ways to work poodles into designs. I do stitch many things that others stitch too by the way. ;)

3.  Why do I write/create what I do? Well, I write this blog to be connected to YOU!! I love the friendships that I have made through this wonderful connection we share. It is wonderful to share my creations with people who understand. I cross stitch and sometimes quilt, because I just simply love to. It is so creative and fun. It gives me peace while I stitch or sew. I find true joy in my crafts. I love sharing and gifting also. I began stitching at 12 years old. The first piece I stitched was simple and on aida. It features a cat. And I gave it to my mother. It still hangs in its frame in her bedroom. God bless her.♥

4.  How does my creating process work? Good question! When I see something I like, I stitch it! If I really love it, it moves up the line to first place, and I begin stitching it right away.  Sometimes. ;) I often change colors in designs if something does not feel right to me. I also frequently ask my husband and children for their opinions if I am unsure. All five of us in this house honestly appreciate needlework.

I have invited two other blog friends to also join in on this Around The World Blog Hop.

Rosey at Ishkabibble is a new friend of mine. Rosey's favorite stitching subjects are video game and anime/manga subjects. If you take a look around her blog, you may spot Oreo and Peanut, her two sweet cats. =)

Maggee at Stitching Devotee is a familiar friend of mine. Maggee is a breast cancer survivor.  She has been going through a lot these last few months, as her husband has recently suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury and several surgeries. If you take a look around her blog, you will also spot many fabulous finds. Maggee also has a hobby of thrifting.

You can click on their names above to check out their blogs. They will be putting on their Around The World Blog Hop post next Monday. =)

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

I'll take them all!

A Snippet

Hi friends! I have finish number 4 for this month to share with you, for the MMMM SAL I am in. ( The link is in my sidebar.) Unfortunately I can only share a snippet. ;) This is a gift for a fellow stitcher and follower.

Yes, I know, sorry. I must post my finishes every week for my SAL, and this is all I am showing! Just trust me that it is done and it is sweet.

I am now stitching Victoria Sampler's 'Just One More Stitch'. For me. :)

My pain is, um, let's just say bad. It has been awful for 6 days. I scheduled another cortisone shot in my hip bursa(s). It has shifted to being worse on my right. That is my "good" side. :(

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Pyramid of Cats

Hi friends!  Today I am here with finish #3 for the MMMM SAL I am in. I finished the Pyramid of Cats freebie(click this for the link). I started calling it Mess of Cats. That's what it is! I changed almost every set of eyes and noses too. There is one fudge in there. TOO BAD!

This was stitched one over one on 28ct Dresden Blue Meran linen. My mom's favorite color is blue. And this is for her for Christmas. I plan to make it up into a flatfold. I used DMC 310, white, 318, 4015, and 4070 and 4126 for eyes.

This first picture is not true to color. It does show the color variations better though. It has been rainy and gloomy here for days. This next picture shows the color of the linen better.

That is supposed to be her kitten "Cutie" on the top. Yikes! Cutie gave me real problems. Cutie is rather a stinker in real life too. I do not tell my mother that. ;) Honestly, we had so many cats while I was growing up. None of them were as wild as Cutie. Sure hope she is not always a little brat. Anyways, her feet are white. Tried stitching those tiny feet a few different ways that did not look weird, and just said, "NO MORE FROGGING!, This is it!"

The winner of the LK 'Thankful String' chart is Andrea!  I have notified you by email. Once I have your postal address Andrea, the chart will be on it's way to you. =)

I am having a yucky pooey high pain day today. To be hones, it has been a bad week thus far. If you would like to pray for this pain to settle down for me, I would LOVE that. Thank you.

I want to say hello to my  new followers. Welcome! So glad to have all of you friends stop by.♥

Off to stitch some more on a Christmas ornament. Til next time!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Enchanted Needles

Hi friends! How are you? I want to thank you all for your very kind words on Theotokos. Your compliments truly encourage me. Thanks. =)

I finished this sweet, little freebie last week. This is called Enchanted Needles.

I stitched it on a small piece of mystery over-dyed 32ct linen. It is stitched one over one. I used DMC 4025 and Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe 'Tarnished Gold'.  I love it!

This is my second Mega Mini finish for the MMMM SAL I am in. =) Once again, I will do the finishing on this in November.

I will be back soon with another Mega Mini finish.

The giveaway for the LK Thankful String chart is still open. If you did not see that, check out this post here to enter.

I hope you have a fantastic day my friends! Thank you for stopping by today.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Theotokos

Hi friends! JoAnn recently had their best sale on for framing. So Brian and I took Theotokos in to the larger JoAnn store, a bit further away from our home, as that one has a framing department. Her finished size is a little larger than 17x20.

Brian and I agreed on this frame together. The framer said she would have picked it out herself also. :)

There is an olive color on the wood which matches the olive wool fantastically.

This is hanging in our front room. We got the museum glass. Across the room from it are windows. The sun does not really shine directly on it ever. Wow! It is just so wonderful. Brian is very, very pleased with his Christmas gift. ;) Funny thing is we picked it up the day before our 22nd wedding anniversary. He hung it on the actual day.

I will be back with my next small finish for the MMMM SAL. Then I should be done with another soon to show you too. :) Since I am not completing the finishing on these smalls this month, just getting them stitched up, it is going quicker!! I hope I do not pick up a bad habit of letting stitched pieces pile up!! I have NEVER been one to do that. I prefer to do the finishing right away, but a SAL challenge is a challenge. ;)

The garden is truly winding down. Here are a few last miniature roses. Brian gave me this plant earlier this year for Valentine's Day.

I have tried to cut a few of my beautiful pink dahlias for several days now. I cannot. These guys are always busy at work. Or hiding in them at all times of day.

I thanked God for you today!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Mega Mini Month Madness Update

Hi friends! Warm days filled with beautiful fall colors here. I can no longer hear the frogs croaking at night from the pond in the park behind our house. No frost yet though.

I have finished stitching my first small project for the Mega Mini Month Madness SAL. You can click on that link there if you are wondering what in the world I am talking about. ;) Tricia sent me this Lizzie Kate chart last month.

 This is 'Thankful String'. It is stitched on 28ct light mocha? linen 2 over two. I used the recommended DMC, except I changed the 729 to 728. I like my corn golden. ;) It just bothered me. One of those things. The finished size is 13.5" x 1". Not quite a standard frame! I will have to put on my thinking cap for this one. I want a cute finish. :)

Would you like to own this chart? Maybe you could stitch it and pass it along as Tricia and I are doing? I give very many of my charts away. It makes my heart glad when I actually see one of my friends stitch the given chart up!! If you would like this LK chart please let me know in the comments on this post. You need to be a follower of mine. I will draw a name on next Wednesday, October 15th.

I will be finishing another small today. :)  This one is a freebie I just came across and had not planned on stitching for the MMMM SAL. Very sweet.

Have a wonderful day in the Lord my friends!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

(My kinda girl!)

Jo's 500 Followers Blog Hop

Hi friends! I am participating in Jo's 500 Followers Blog Hop today. This is a new, creative blog hop Jo came up with for her 500 followers celebration. Each of us participating in the Hop are to dedicate a post to our assigned person. I was given Anna. Go ahead and click on her name and check out her blog.

Anna is a very  creative woman.Yes, she is a stitcher, but she also likes to stamp and makes cards. And knit. And quite a variety of crafts can be seen on her blog when you start scrolling back and back and....

I found out Anna and I both have purple flower gardens.  Here are some pretty pink and purple fuschias from my past gardening for you Anna.
 
 We are both dog lovers I discovered also. We seem to both appreciate nice, old fashioned names for our pooches. Her dog is Stella, and as if you did not know, my dogs are Mabel and Henry. ;)

I really smiled when Anna shared in an old post that she took "wood and metal shop classes in the 70s when we brought girls into the shop and boys into the kitchen and sewing room." I did too. I can see her long-ago-learned skills from shop classes are still useful to her in crafting today. Me too.

I am also to share a stitched item made by me for Anna in this Hop. I chose this Barbara Ana design called 'Autumn Delights' that I made one year ago.

I hope you have enjoyed today's fun and different post. I will be back soon with a finish and a chart giveaway.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Mega Mini Month Madness

Hi friends! I, along with 21 other stitchers, have signed up for a SAL, called Mega Mini Month Madness. It is hosted by Pull The Other Thread. You can click on that link if you like. I do have to tell you the final date for sign up has come and gone though.

All 22 of us stitchers are going to work on only mini projects for the month of October and see what we can accomplish. :) We each need to post once a week, 5 times in October, to show you all our mini progress. There will be a drawing for us at the beginning of November for a €25 voucher (or equivalent in your local currency) for an online store of your choice so long as they do e-vouchers. whoo hoo! How fun!

So here we go. I thought I would show you what I have kitted up to work on this month. As you know, I just finished Madeleine's  "Winky" Christmas ornament. I will now do one ornament for each of our sons.
I am going with MU for Jacob and CUW for Emerson. Yes, their universities. I am using my 365 Alphabets  book by Donna Kooler  to stitch them up.

I plan to frame them in the 2 inch frame charm squares you see above.

Since I can only stitch on the guys' ornaments during the day while they are at school, I will start on this sweet chart recently given to me by Tricia. I will begin the Thankful String for night time stitching. ;)

I usually make my mother an angel ornament for Christmas. I won't be doing that this year. Their dog died several months ago, and my mom got a kitten. She has now become "crazy for cats". I spied this freebie a while back and knew I had to stitch this for her. I plan to make a flatfold. My mom' favorite color is blue. Not sure what color flosses I will be using yet.

When I received my JCS Ornament Issue last month, I  knew I wanted to stitch up "Just One More Stitch" by Victoria Sampler.

Yes, the fabric is a bit lighter and the colors.... Well, I changed those up quite a bit. I took a long time deciding over the colors. I admire the finish the way it is, but the colorway is just not me. I imagine that little stitcher being me. I would just never make a quilt in those colors. Silly? Maybe. But that's how my brain thinks about things like this. ;)

I am thinking these will keep me plenty busy for October! Besides stitching I want to get some much needed work done in the garden. We will see what I can do. I am not going to get myself injured and in pain for days.

With the cooler weather I seem to be baking a lot more often. Lots of breads. We love bread around here. :) Here is a loaf of challah. I think it is my favorite kind of bread I bake.

Well enjoy the day my friends! I plan to. Even when I am stitching, I enjoy looking out the window and watching the daily color changes of the beautiful leaves in the trees.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie