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Hi friends! Here is September-Schoolhouse🏫 from Rainbow Gallery, the 2005 Cross Stitcher's Surprise Series.🔔

I chose my own DMC colors and VMSS 1795 Tarnished Gold and once again omitted the charm since my finish is so tiny. I stitched this one over one on 25ct cream evenweave. It is now in the cubby shelf.

I am now creating a sampler of my own design! I have had a pattern floating around in my head for weeks and I just needed to get it out! I have never undertaken a design this big! I hope it turns out the way I envision it in my head! I am not very far yet. Just planting some grass.

Time for some more Koko and Yum Yum! I have told you all how much I love every single one of these books in this series.

The way Jim Qwilleran sees it, there’s nothing worse than being left high and dry. But that’s exactly where he’s been ever since a record-breaking drought hit Moose County. He’s bedraggled. Beleaguered. And, following a rash of fires at local historic mine sites, deeply bewildered. Some blame the blazes on bad weather conditions, but Qwill’s thinking arson. And when a mysterious explosion is followed by a blood-chilling murder, he starts seriously praying for snow—and answers. Good thing Koko can smell trouble a mile away...

Jim Qwilleran is enjoying his stay at the Nutcracker Inn in Black Creek. His two Siamese, Koko and Yum Yum, don’t seem quite as pleased with the accommodations...though Koko does enjoy keeping a keen eye on the squirrels and other local wildlife. Then, while Koko’s eagerly watching some jumping trout, he spots something else: a body floating downstream. When it’s revealed that the victim was a guest at the inn—and had nuggets of gold hidden in his shoes—Qwill dives into the case. And if he and the cats don’t solve it soon, they’re going to be up the creek without a paddle...

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Psalm 51:10-11

Thank you so much for stopping by today my friends! I hope that you have a great week! I will be visiting the eye doctor this week.🤓 I hope I find some new frames easily. I have had these same frames for 7 1/2 years!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

🧀🧀🧀

Hi friends! I did a Wisconsin thing!😁🧀 I have been wanting to create this for a LOOOONG time! I finally took the time before our Ark Encounter trip last month to make myself a chart of our lovely state IN CHEESE!🧀

I thought about stitching the words "Eat cheese or die" on it, I kid you not. Hey, born in Wisconsin, raised on cheese here! I love it!!! Can you possibly tell yet?? I did take it with me on the trip down to Kentucky. HUGE mistake, since this is all stitched on 36 count to make it fit in my cubby shelf. I did stitch in the car for hours .... and got precisely the bottom six rows done. 😑 Um yep. Anyhow I think this turned out pretty good for my own design. It now resides above the Wisconsin Robin.

I am now stitching up the Rainbow Gallery September freebie finally!

The winner of the Hinzeit Love Dogs pattern is... Linda!

Have any of you read The Girl They Left Behind? Oh my goodness! What an excellent book! I highly recommend reading it! The story is based on what actually happened to the author's mother during WWII. She was left behind when she was just a toddler. Her parents had sewn a note into her winter coat that read: "In anguish and despair we release this child into the hands of God, with hope and faith that she may be saved."

On a freezing night in January 1941, a little Jewish girl is found on the steps of an apartment building in Bucharest. With Romania recently allied with the Nazis, the Jewish population is in grave danger, undergoing increasingly violent persecution. The girl is placed in an orphanage and eventually adopted by a wealthy childless couple who name her Natalia. As she assimilates into her new life, she all but forgets the parents who were forced to leave her behind. They are even further from her mind when Romania falls under Soviet occupation. Yet, as Natalia comes of age in a bleak and hopeless world, traces of her identity pierce the surface of her everyday life, leading gradually to a discovery that will change her destiny. She has a secret crush on Victor, an intense young man who as an impoverished student befriended her family long ago. Years later, when Natalia is in her early twenties and working at a warehouse packing fruit, she and Victor, now an important official in the Communist regime, cross paths again. This time they are fatefully drawn into a passionate affair despite the obstacles swirling around them and Victor’s dark secrets. When Natalia is suddenly offered a one-time chance at freedom, Victor is determined to help her escape, even if it means losing her. Natalia must make an agonizing decision: remain in Bucharest with her beloved adoptive parents and the man she has come to love, or seize the chance to finally live life on her own terms, and to confront the painful enigma of her past.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory 1Peter 1:6-8

I am so glad that you stopped by to say hi today! I hope you have a stitchtastic week my friends!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Autumn Poodle

Hi friends! As soon as I received my October issue of JustCrossStitch and I saw Autumn Cat, I KNEW I would stitch it and I wanted it to be an Autumn Poodle!

🐩 I immediately begged Madeleine to draw me a poodle pattern. She kindly did❣️ I stitched up the pattern as is, but added the button for the tail and the changed face to the one that Madeleine made. I admit that it did not turn out exactly perfect.🤷‍♀️

I used 32ct, the pattern calls for 27ct. I had the PERFECT fabric on hand. Black Chocolate. I like it better than called for black with the autumn motifs. I know I did not clip my corners enough. I hope to do better next time. Oh yes! There will be more poodles! 💗 I am seeing all the seasons! Fun, fun, fun! I already picked out the pattern I am using for the Christmas Poodle!🤭


And how about a pattern giveaway? The perfect pattern, a DOG pattern supplied by our friend Robin

If you would like this pattern by Hinzeit with the charm included, please be a sidebar follower of mine, and leave a comment on this post stating that you would like this pattern. I will draw a name on Monday, September 9th.

My stepdad Jim continues to do pretty well with his chemo and radiation treatments for his Small Cell Lung cancer. Thank you for praying for him! It is much appreciated!

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!  Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth
Psalm 105:4-5

Have a great day my friends! I am so glad you stopped by today! I thanked God for you today!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

🌸Bellis perennis🌸

Hi friends! How are you? Is the weather cooling down a bit? It is here, and it is so much nicer now.

All five of us took a short trip to Kentucky to The Ark Adventure in Williamstown.

To see the ark was truly amazing and awesome. It is GIGANTIC! The exhibits within are done very, very well. They have lovely gardens and a small zoo also. I highly recommend visiting. It was extremely hot that day. 97 degrees. I am so very pleased that my migraine DID NOT bother me that day!

I have not mentioned this before, I will now. I have been taking this for three months now and it works for me. Black Cohosh. It is an herbal supplement. I take one 540mg capsule daily in addition to my prescribed Topomax. I asked my neurologist first. He was okay with this. Black Cohosh has made a BIGGER difference for me than increasing Topomax does! I am able to be out in the sun!!! I am never able to do that. I was out for hours on our vacation in 97 degrees in the full sun with my hat, but still!! I just wanted to mention this because I do know of fellow bloggers who do suffer migraines. I KNOW HOW IT IS TO SUFFER IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN FROM MIGRAINES! Ask your doctor about Black Cohosh. I ordered it off of Amazon.

I also wanted to let you know that my stepdad Jim is doing well with his chemo and radiation so far. Thank you for your prayers! They mean so much! God bless you!💗

I finished this over a week ago. I just never got a post on here to show you! This is for the September pedestal frame.

This is 'Bellis perennis' from Danish Cross-Stitch by Gerda Bengtsson. I stitched it two over two with my own conversion of Danish Flower Thread to DMC on Antique White 28ct linen.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
  Galatians 2:20

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! We will be celebrating three birthdays on Sunday at my mom's house. Brian's, my brother Michael, and my brother Jonathan.🎂

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Funky Flowers

Hi friends!  I want to share my latest finish with you. This is Mid Century Gardens by Hands On Design.

 Did you Recognize it? I changed the colors.🧡💗💙 It is quite FUNKY now! Reminds me of Fiestaware or something. Mexican? The '60's/'70's. Well, it is what it is now! I stitched it two over two on 32ct white linen with DMC 4200, 4210, and 4025. I found a perfect fabric for the back in my GIGANTIC PINK FABRIC STASH, but had barely a scrap. I fought my perfectionist instinct to HAVE TO HAVE IT PERFECTLY CENTERED, and used it anyhow! I think it looks okay.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” Psalm 34:8

I hope you have a great week my friends! I will be stitching! And listening to another The Cat Who story! Love it!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Arranging Tools🔨

Hi friends! I have good news to share. My stepdad Jim had his MRI and there is no small cell cancer in his brain. Now he needs to fight the four tumors in his lung. Would you please pray for him? THANK YOU❣️

Let me share my gift to Emerson with you!

This is Arranging Tools by Ink Circles, stitched two over two on mystery 30ct linen with called for DMC and Crescent Colour Works Milady's Teal. That was my BIG problem with this project! I ran out of that floss and I had very old floss. I ordered new floss and it was "CLASSIC" Colorworks Milady's Teal. Not the same shade at all. My floss was grey, the new floss is teal or almost blue jean color. Annette sent me floss that was almost a perfect match and I was able to finish. We had this framed at Michael's. Emerson loves it!

I also finished Lizzie Kate August Stamp🌻

Stitched over one on 25ct white linen with DMC. I did the bee's wings over two to make them show up!🐝 It now happily resides in my cubby shelf. Would you like to stitch this pattern? If so, you need to: be a sidebar follower of my blog and  leave a comment on this post stating that you would like this pattern. I will draw a winner on Friday, August 16th.

I am now stitching an EXTREMELY colorful pattern and second guessing myself.🤔

Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  Luke 17:33

I hope you have a wonderful weekend my friends! Thank you for stopping by!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Stitch and be Glad!

Hi friends! I have a sweet, little finish to share with you.

This is a free pattern available HERE  from Needlework Press on Instagram. You can follow me on Instagram if you like by clicking HERE  I stitched this one over one on 25ct Bo Peep Pink Lugana. with DMC and VMSS.

Here is the August cubby shelf for you!

Have any of you read this? What a fantastic book! I highly recommend it!
1946, Manhattan One morning while passing through Grand Central Terminal on her way to work, Grace Healey finds an abandoned suitcase tucked beneath a bench. Unable to resist her own curiosity, Grace opens the suitcase, where she discovers a dozen photographs—each of a different woman. In a moment of impulse, Grace takes the photographs and quickly leaves the station. Grace soon learns that the suitcase belonged to a woman named Eleanor Trigg, leader of a network of female secret agents who were deployed out of London during the war. Twelve of these women were sent to Occupied Europe as couriers and radio operators to aid the resistance, but they never returned home, their fates a mystery. Setting out to learn the truth behind the women in the photographs, Grace finds herself drawn to a young mother turned agent named Marie, whose daring mission overseas reveals a remarkable story of friendship, valor and betrayal. Vividly rendered and inspired by true events, New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff shines a light on the incredible heroics of the brave women of the war and weaves a mesmerizing tale of courage, sisterhood and the great strength of women to survive in the hardest of circumstances.

My stepdad Jim is doing well thus far. He starts radiation soon. He has his MRI of his brain today. Please pray the Small Cell Lung cancer is not there. THANK YOU!💗

Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 1Peter 3:3-4

I hope and pray you have a wonderful week my friends! I am so glad you decided to stop by and say hi!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie