Tiny Bird Stitching

Hi friends! I have been stitching some precious ornaments for friends. Still cannot show you. I can show you this tiny, little bird I stitched up for Winky. ;)

This is stitched one over one on 32ct lambswool linen with DMC. I mounted it on a tiny Ball jar wooden tag. My first Christmas decorating this year. HA!

I am listening to an audio book while making gifts for friends. It is titled In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. I found a piece of paper I had saved from years ago, with this book name on it. I had wanted to read this book, and I forgot about it. I am so glad I came across this reminder again. Wow. What an amazing TRUE story.

Amazon.com Review

When World War II began, Irene Gutowna was a 17-year-old Polish nursing student. Six years later, she writes in this inspiring memoir, "I felt a million years old." In the intervening time she was separated from her family, raped by Russian soldiers, and forced to work in a hotel serving German officers. Sickened by the suffering inflicted on the local Jews, Irene began leaving food under the walls of the ghetto. Soon she was scheming to protect the Jewish workers she supervised at the hotel, and then hiding them in the lavish villa where she served as housekeeper to a German major. When he discovered them in the house, Gutowna became his mistress to protect her friends--later escaping him to join the Polish partisans during the Germans' retreat. The author presents her extraordinary heroism as the inevitable result of small steps taken over time, but her readers will not agree as they consume this thrilling adventure story, which also happens to be a drama of moral choice and courage. Although adults will find Irene's tale moving, it is appropriately published as a young adult book. Her experiences while still in her teens remind adolescents everywhere that their actions count, that the power to make a difference is in their hands.

Read it! Or listen to it!

I am hoping to have some stitching pictures to share with you soon. You know how it is this time of year. So secretive for a bit. ;)

Have a wonderful, beautiful week my friends. I have thanked God for YOU!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

A Happy, Blessed Thanksgiving To You!

Hi friends! Happy Thanksgiving! We go to my Mom's this year. I am bringing the mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Brian and I will join the children at their Lutheran church this morning for worship first.

Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy

 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
    For His mercy endures forever.

 Psalm 136:1

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

Christmas Angel

Hi friends! We have snow, but it is going to be warmer by the end of this week, so it should all melt. Fine with me. ha! Sorry Shirlee. Here is a snowy, little Mabel for you. :) She just LOVES to play in the snow. Her knee is healed. It is almost completely normal.

I finished my mom's Christmas Angel on Friday. I will wait a bit to do the finishing on her, since I want to get a few more ornaments stitched and made up and mailed.

She is stitched one over one on 28ct white linen with DMC 816. Love her! She is a freebie you can find right HERE.

I also finished stitching an ornament for a friend on Saturday. This one was done one over one on 28ct black linen. I have to admit to crossed eyes in the evening. ha!

Yes, I did stitch up another Christmas ornament for another friend yesterday. This one on 28ct lambswool, 2 over 2. Can't show this one either yet! ;) Lots of secret stitching going on. Fun!

Henry and I went back to the nursing home on Friday. We had missed our friend Joyce the previous Saturday, as she was having bathroom issues. Anyways, right before we left after our one hour visit, she told me she loves me. :) I told her I love her as well. I have only become this close to two other seniors over the years. I have been visiting seniors at various locations for 16 years now. With Henry for the last year and a half. I am so blessed by these elderly friends!

If you are a long time reader of my blog, you may recall I love anything pumpkin. I have been eating pumpkin ice cream this fall. I have baked pumpkin bread, pumpkin pies and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I drink pumpkin tea chai lattes all year round. ♥ Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe?

Thank you for taking a moment and stopping in with me. I appreciate YOU! Have a fabulous week my friends!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Lots of Updates

Hi friends! It is cold and windy here. We are getting snow tonight.

Remember the little hedgehog from the Mystery SAL I finished last weekend? Well I made him up into a pillow.

Here is an updated picture on how far I have gotten on my mom's Chrismas Angel ornament.

This is a lovely freebie you can find right HERE.

I finished stitching up Murphy ornament number two and began number three. I realized I never added the second back leg on the first stitched Murphy! I went back and added it. ;)

Speaking of Murphy, yikes! I groomed him for the first time. Bath, no problem. Blow dry, no problem. Clipper and scissors, PROBLEM! I knew it wasn't going to be good. He is NOT good for a nail trim. I put the E collar(cone of shame) on him and used the noose(sorry if that is the wrong term, that's what I call it) attached to the grooming table arm, around his neck to hold him. Well that works for the nails. He is only bad for the two front feet. But he is bad.

Now how do you groom his head and front feet with an E collar on?!? You don't! I muzzled him with bias tape around the snout and tied around back of the head and kept him on the noose. His haircut is rough. I still need to trim up his face. Can't exactly do that while muzzled now can you? LIKE A DUMMY, I tried to finish his face without the muzzle. He bit my thumb. Not a bad bite, but who wants any bite?! Man! Talk about stressful?! Not fun at all my friends. I am soooooo not used to this. I have groomed 4 of our dogs besides Murphy. He takes the cake for violence! The worst I had to encounter before Murphy is Henry's screeching. When we see the vet for his checkup next month, I am asking for tranquilizers!

I actually talked with the groomer who volunteers her services to the humane society we got him from. I called her about my concerns with his aggression and wanted to know how she accomplished it. She did not even need a muzzle! She said often times dogs like this act very badly for the "dog mom", but behave way better for other groomers. I will try him with the tranquilizers in a few months. When I clip him it is free. But hey! I like my fingers thank you very much!

Only his face needs fixing up still. I was going for a french mustache on him. That is what he had when he came to us. I clipped his ears way too short. At least they won't need anything next time. I am going to leave more mustache/scruff on him next time. Not Henry style, but this:

I want you Maija to know that I am reading every comment you leave me. I am unable to email you. The comments bounce back in my email as failures and undeliverable. So you also are not getting notified of my comments I am leaving you. If you check on your blog you can see my comments and read them.  I appreciate you taking the time to comment here, as I do all of my friends!

When you go through God's Word, God's Word goes through you. I continue on with reading the Holy Bible daily. Soon. Very soon I will have read the entire bible this year! :)

In all our struggles, in all our affliction, in all our angst, anxiety, and uncertainty about what happens in the present and what the future might bring, Christ is our peace. When we are most vulnerable and feel we are in danger of losing everything, our Lord remains with us.

Have a beautiful weekend my friends!

Stitching and praying(for quite a few of you!),
Vickie
 

Mystery SAL Complete

Hi friends! I finished all the stitching on my Mystery SAL.

You can find this free pattern HERE. I stitched this on mystery 32ct linen, two over two using DMC.

I have been working on my mom's ornament this weekend. Here is my progress.

When Henry and I visited the nursing home this Saturday, I met a new friend. Now that is not unusual, we meet plenty of new, elderly friends. This sweet, older woman, I believe her name is Marjorie, was flagging us down from across the dining hall. Henry and I cannot enter the dining hall, so her sweet friend Ellie wheeled her to us. Marjorie was so excited to see us and hold Henry. She is a poodle lover! The first thing she told me was, "Oh, I love poodles!" Ah, a smart woman. ;) Marjorie has owned three different miniature poodles. All "ladies". ;) What fun to talk poodles with her.

We had a sunny, warm 65º day yesterday! Now that is a treat for November. So I weeded the garden just a bit more. There is always weeding to do, isn't there?!

Well I am bracing myself for increased pain this week. We are to have rain most every day this week. I will hide out inside and stitch a lot! Not so bad after all. ;)

Thank you for stopping by today my friends. I am so glad you did!

Sin separates, while prayer unites.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Pray

 

Dear friends, join me in praying for the victims, their families, and all those affected by this barbaric attack.

Poodletown Greetings

Hi friends! It is colder here now. Frost every night. The trees are bare. Very, very windy yesterday and today. 40 mph wind gusts. I was able to get my dahlias and gladiolas dug out of the garden earlier this week while the weather was still warm and sunny.

Our neighbor Tom, who lives directly across the street, came over the other day to talk to Brian and I. Tom has seen coyotes in his yard and more importantly he has seen them at night go up our driveway and into our backyard. They obviously did not find the poodles they were searching for, turned around, and left the same way. Tom watched. Whew! Makes me nervous. Brian last saw a coyote three summers ago run right down our block, on the sidewalk, turn the corner and head towards the woods. We have a park behind us with a large pond and woods beyond. The river is one block away. Plenty of wildlife around here, but coyotes are NOT welcome.

Do you know what a snow fence is? A vinyl fence with small holes in it. Kind of like thick, plastic netting. We have a length of this, only three feet tall, that we keep mounted (and can easily be removed when we want) across the width of our driveway. This keeps the poodles in. The other three sides of our backyard are fenced in with 6 foot fence. I have read coyotes can clear any and all of this. We only let the poodles out after dark for less than 5 minutes maximum without exception.

My friend Marilyn does not have a cross stitch blog, but she does have a blog. She has Amish and Old Order Mennonite friends. These friends give her stories of interest about their lives to post about weekly. Very interesting topics come up. Marilyn also happens to be a miniature poodle owner. That is not the reason I follow her blog, but it is the reason she asked me to do a guest post about Murphy and the gang. If you are interested, just click on her name up above.

I have been stitching away this week and almost finished Murphy ornament number 2.

I have finished stitching up one friend's ornament, but cannot show you that. ;) Here is where I am so far on the ornament I just began for my mom.

I will keep you guessing for right now.

The final pattern release on my Mystery SAL just came out. I have only the black parts to stitch up on that.

Keep your heart pure, your spirit bright, and your conscience clean!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Lovely Gifts

Hi friends! Our friend Jacquie sent me super, lovely surprise gifts!

Do you see she made all three poodles?! The picture may not show the best, but Henry is a lovely creamy color. He is what Madeleine and I call a blonde apricot. ;)

I knew something was going on when the poodles started circling the gifts as I was opening the box and taking pictures. Mabel is telling me to open this one first!

Wow! It is a poodle party! Three different British doggy treats. And I am happy to say they are poodle approved. :)

Jacquie made this lovely needlebook with pansies! My absolute favorite flower of all. I plant them every year. Isn't her work perfect and gorgeous?!

Look how clever Jacquie is!

And how talented her beautiful daughter Hannah is! Hannah made me this beautiful postcard. I am sorry, I cannot use it. I just want to keep it for me! Thank you Hannah. I love it.

Thank you Jacquie. You are a very special person. You enrich many people's lives by just you being you!

Here is an updated picture of my Mystery SAL. We will be stitching one more color this week, black. Then we are done. This was fun. I think the hedgehog is so cute. You can find the Mystery SAL RIGHT HERE.

It has definitely gotten colder here. This little bed is one I made for Henry, however Murphy curls himself up tight and just fits.

I am still stitching up Christmas ornaments. I hope you have a great week my friends! Thank you for stopping by and leaving me such nice comments.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

The Giveaway Winner

Hi friends! We have been having a nice week of seventy degree, sunny weather. I was able to clean up the garden a bit more. There are not many flowers remaining in the garden. 

I have been stitching up Christmas ornaments. I cannot show you the one I work on while the kids are home, but I can show you the first one I made up for the kids(while they are in school, I stitch on this). Big surprise! It is Murphy! ;)

 I have used this pattern  twice before in making Henry. I love it! You can find this pattern in the Antique Pattern Library. You need to scroll down the page. It is found in Markbok. This is a Swedish pattern from 1915. 100 years old! Awesome!

I stitched Murphy on 28ct light blue Cashel linen. I used Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe's Valentine Red and  DMC, two over two. I stitched Murphy in 3799 and 310. I am very happy with his coloring. I will most likely use a blend of these two colors and more greys also when it comes time to stitch up his bigger portrait. :) I made up the snow scene. I am happy with how it turned out. Murphy runs around like a nut twice a day every day in the backyard since we got him. He is so healthy for a 12 year old.

The winner of the "ABC Can't Catch Me pattern is Kim! Kim I will get this on it's way to you!

I am still reading Billy Graham's Where I Am. Such a very good book! I took time to read two short stories by Ted Dekker. There is a librarian at out library who goes out of her way to locate books I inquire about. These two short stories she found for me out of our library system, but within our state. The Promise and The Little Drummer Boy were both great reads. I am trying to find those hard to come by, older books by Ted. I want to read every, single book he has ever written! Almost there!

I called to see if there was a cancellation at the Orthopedic Doctor's office. I had prayed I would not get the same receptionist. I did not. There is no opening, but this receptionist asked if I would like to be put on the cancellation list. Yes I would! hmm. Crabby receptionist last week told me they don't have a list when I asked. My wrist pain is still low.

Our dear friend Cucki continues on in pain my friends. She has improved though. She is back at home with her loving family.She is homebound and must take things very slowly. Please pray for our friend.♥

I am so glad you stopped by to visit with me today my friends. I hope you find lots of stitching time this weekend.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Greetings From Poodletown

Hi friends! Here is my latest progress on my Mystery SAL. We have added orange.

Our Jacob has turned 21! I remember the morning he was born like yesterday. ♥ Here is the birthday cake. Marble cake with chocolate fudge frosting. Corralling all those little sprinkles took a long time!

Jacob is doing well in his junior year of nursing school. He finished his ob/gyn clinicals mid-October. THAT was an eye opener for our young man. ;) He worked in a city hospital and was in on vaginal births and cesarean section births too. He worked in geriatrics last year. He is now doing community health. This means working at a medical clinic for the homeless on Thursdays and doing hospice on Fridays.

Now for a little more art by Madeleine. You may recall the many, many pink perle cottons I was gifted by our friend Charlene? Well Madeleine used some of them in creating this. She also used some of my purple DMC.

I purchased a large number of pink fabrics. I am so happy to finally get the numbers needed for my quilt down into the one hundreds. I cut the tumbler blocks and sewed them together. I almost made one more complete row. Almost.

A golden view out the front window in the morning.

The results of my nerve testing were "normal activity". Which means I now have to see the Orthopedic Doctor. My appointment is not until December 1st. sigh. The great news is that my wrist pain is much lower. I know this is from prayer and my family helping me with so many different chores that are hard on the wrist.

Does anyone want this pattern, now that I am done stitching it? Click  HERE to see the pattern.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

And here we have the two boys watching squirrels on my lap while I read the Holy Bible.