May Ric Rac Row

 Hi friends! 🌸🐛🦋This is May Rick Rac Row by Pine Mountain Designs.

This was stitched one over two on 36 count white linen with DMC. I got rid of one called for orange, and used the called for PINK instead. 😉

I am now going to start a free patriotic pattern.

📚Do you enjoy Martha Hall Kelly books? Did you enjoy the stories of Caroline Ferriday's family? This is the last story the author will write of this family. I truly enjoyed this Civil War experience that is based on true accounts. This book follows "Georgy" Woolsey, an abolitionist, Jemma, an enslaved girl, and Anne May, Jemma’s owner.

We are getting ready to attend church once again after SO MANY months of only watching online.  Are you back in your church my friends? How is that going? No outbreaks of COVID? I cannot wait to be amongst my friends and fellow believers AND RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION!

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:28

I hope and pray you all have a good, healthy week. Please pray for me, if you would? I am finally getting two cortisone shots in my lower back to alleviate the the pain I have from the bulging discs. Thank you ever so much. It is my hope and prayer these shots take away the pain completely for months. The doctor told me each person has different results. 

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

Books!

 Hi friends! I made a bookmark from The World of Cross Stitch issue 207 for my DIL Kristen, a fellow booklover. 📚 (Click on the picture for a better view.)

I had this 18ct white bookmark in my stash for ages. I changed all the colors. I used DMC and VMSS Dark Lavender. Two over one, with a lot of backstitching!🤪  I finished it off by sewing a piece of white felt on to the back.

I am now stitching a May monthly piece.

📚 THIS BOOK! I think it may be my favorite so far this year. This is a TRUE story of the author's mother (Vera) and her best friend (Edith) who both jumped off the train carrying them from Budapest to Auschwitz during World War II. I am not going to tell you everything that happens to these two lifelong best friends. I will tell you that multiple times I forgot this was based on a true story. The saying, "truth is stranger than fiction" seems to apply, because the lives of the best friends can be so outrageous that I forgot about it as truth. This is a story of persistence, strength, love, friendships, and family.

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.” 1 Peter 2:21

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

Sweetie

 Hi friends! 🐱This is Sweetie, my Mom's feral cat of over 9 years. 

Sweetie is not doing well. (And she is impossible to catch. They have tried over and over and over again. Even with a trap. She is too smart and too fast.) I stitch her indoor cat or angels for my Mom every year for her birthday and Christmas. I have never stitched Sweetie. It never occurred to me. I searched Google images for a free cross stitch cat that kind of looked like Sweetie and just completely changed every single color on it and charted her tiger stripes she has on her forehead. It seems to look like her. Mom's favorite color is blue. Thank you Stasi for the ribbon! This is a magnet. I  gave it to Mom today. We all went over to Mom's to celebrate her birthday out in the backyard.🎂 I am happy to say she absolutely loved it! I stitched it one over two on 40ct white linen with DMC and VMSS.

📚 I have said it before about Rhys Bowen and I will say it once again, I have read every single one of her books. You cannot go wrong reading Rhys Bowen's books! And this! The Venice Sketchbook just became my favorite. IT IS SO GOOD! I could not put it down. A good thing when it is your treadmill read! 🤣 This is such a well written novel. She does such a fantastic job of describing Venice, you feel you are there. Most of this bittersweet love story takes place during WWII.

I am now stitching a gift for my DIL's birthday.

“Let your light shine for all the nations to see; for the glory of the Lord is streaming from you.” Isaiah 60:1

It is my hope and prayer that you know that you are loved by the Almighty God my friend.

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

Mother's Heart In Hand ~ Love

 Hi friends! I tried so very hard to get this done on Mother's Day. I worked for hours on this yesterday, but only finished it first thing this morning. I made this as a gift to myself. 🥰

This is Mother's Heart In Hand ~ Love by David Schump. 💕The pattern is found in Punch Needle & Primitive Stitcher Magazine 2016 Summer Issue.

Yes, I only have three children. The k next to the j is for Kristen who married our Jacob this last October. 😊 I stitched this two over two on Warm Sienna Belfast linen hand dyed by Colour & Cotton with Ecru DMC and VMSS. The color scheme is half changed. There were no called for pinks. 😮 Shocking I know! I put those pinks right in there baby! 💗 And how do you like that antique variegated crocheted lace? I have been saving THAT for years❣️ The backing fabric is pink linen from my stash, as is the the pale pink ribbon trim to finish off the edges with. As always, I referred to Vonna Pfeiffer for the flatfold directions. I have been using her directions for over 10 years now.😁 I will forewarn you that if you do want to stitch this pattern, the alphabet is NOT included with the pattern in the magazine. I contacted the designer. He said he sent it to the magazine along with the pattern. He said he would look to see if he had it available in his Etsy shop. Never heard back. I guess not. So Madeleine helped me custom design letters, since I spent over an hour searching for very tall letters, especially the capital N that would fit.

I am now stitching under pressure once again. 😑 I hate that. I am stitching my Mom's feral cat Sweetie that she has "owned" for over 9 years. Sweetie is not doing well and her days look to be numbered. I have never stitched Sweetie, and thought I had better do it now for Mom's birthday this week. We are getting together outside this coming Sunday at Mom's.

“I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14

Thank you for stopping by. I do hope you have a blessed week my friends! 

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

May Display

 Hi friends! I have not gotten around to a blog post in quite a bit. I need to show the last finish I had of April. 

This is 🐇April Rick Rac Row by Pine Mountain Designs☂️. 

This was stitched one over two on 36 count white linen with DMC.

💐May Cubby Shelf Display💐

These are all stitched over one. Except the little May pillow on top.

💐🍓May Corner Shelf🍓💐

 I am only sharing four shelves with you thus far. I am stitching away like crazy in high hopes I can finish before this Sunday, Mother's Day. This one is for ME!! 🥰 At this point, I don't have a lot of hope of it being fully finished, but maybe....

“And He said to all, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.'” Luke 9:23

I wish all of my fellow friends who are mothers, who are celebrating Mother's Day this Sunday, a very, very Happy, Blessed Mother's Day.💕

Stitching and praying,

Vickie