September Ric Rac Row

 Hi friends! Here is my final finish of September. 📚September Ric Rac Row by Pine Mountain Designs🍎 

This was stitched one over two on 36 count white linen with DMC. I have owl fabric AND alphabet fabric that both would have worked for this finish, BUT they are PINK OF COURSE!💗 I just really want to use fabric from my stash, so these are the best I could do. Solids. It works. 💛❤️🤎 In case you are are wondering, the little prayer book, is The Pocket Key of Heaven. It belonged to my long ago relative, that no one can trace unfortunately. I found it in my Great Aunt Ethel's attic after her death, when Mom, Auntie Kathy and Auntie Patsy and I were clearing out the house. Inside the cover is written in pencil Anna Marie Pritzlaff with Josephine underneath. (Her confirmation name?) Dec. 3rd 1904 Milwaukee, Wis. 

Hmm. I am going to have to remember to do some online research on her. I have done genealogy research on my family in years past. It has been quite a few years though. I set it all aside. Why? Have you done it?! It takes SO MUCH TIME, THAT IS WHY! My goodness! You are on the computer researching one relative, back and back and back. One thing leads to another. And then you look elsewhere, and you find something else that you MUST check or you will NEVER find it again, and I really am NOT exaggerating on that! And the next thing you know, several hours have past and you should have gotten dinner prepared!! Oh yes, I was on quite the family research kick years ago. I got the paternal side done going back to Poland. I know the little town where we are from and I found the second cousins in Illinois who immigrated here in the '80's and even spoke with "my cousin". We exchanged Christmas cards for one year. That was it. Oh well. My Mom's side is a LOT more complicated. VERY melting pot.

I must ask you? Have you researched your family tree? Do you also find it addictive?

📚✂️🧵The Beginning by Beverly Lewis I have found a book about a cross stitcher for us my friends! 😁 The main character is twenty-two year old Susie Mast, who lives with her widowed Mom and younger sister. The sisters both work in the family shop selling baked goods and Susie's CROSS STITCHED FAMILY TREE'S❣️ I have read every one of Beverly's novels over the decades, so I very much enjoyed this one, but it was great fun with the addition of cross stitch in the story too! There is a plot of course. Ha! Beverly's stories always involve love stories and they are always clean reads.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,  while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  2Corinthians 4:16-18

Friends, I have not shared this with you before today, but I simply must. I have been suffering with the strongest hormonal migraine I have ever had in my life for over three weeks now. I have gone to the urgent care with it already and received a shot of toradal almost two weeks ago. It did little to nothing. I began steroids at that time also. I am still on steroids for this. It is simply not working yet. I have been on steroids for bad migraines about once a year in the past and it has worked. This is horrid. Squeezing, crushing pain every, single day and night.  I am telling you this, to ask you if you would pray please. Thank you. I am desperate for relief.

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

Autumn in the Heart

 Hi friends! I changed my mind. The little autumn pieces that were stitched and waiting to be fully finished, were just begging me to sew them up first. So I did. 😊

🦔🍄Autumn in the Heart by Lacomtesse & Point De Croix 🍄🦔 

I chose my two favorite motifs from out of the entire free pattern offered on September 15th, and stitched them with DMC of my own choice one over one on 35ct tea dyed linen. 

I already knew I wanted to make tiny, little pincushions with this sweet fabric from my stash. 

I never seem to make time for just Autumn stitching. Do you?

NOW I am back to stitching on September Ric Rac Row.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Have a great week my friends!

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

Penelope & Peeps

 Hi friends! Here is my Easter piece. 🐰🌼Penelope & Peeps by Brenda Gervais 

I chose not to stitch the word Easter in this pattern, just adorable, little Penelope and the little chick at her feet. This was stitched two over two on 27ct yellow linen from my stash. The fun trim is from my stash, but I must admit, I do NOT enjoy sewing it in.🥴

I have sewn two tiny Fall pieces. I need to work on making them into little pincushions. I want to get my September Ric Rac Row stitched first though!

I am still battling on with the weight loss. I use the treadmill three times a day and try to do a short low impact cardio routine daily also. I have been trying to cut back on sugar daily also. I have not kept track of my weight in any of this. That stresses me out too much. I just know by the fit of my jeans and pants. I can tell you I fit into the jeans and pants now when I did not four months ago. I don't know what any of you do, who yo-yo a bit with weight over the years, but I hang onto the different sized jeans and pants. I just pop them into Rubbermaid storage bins and put them away. Then when they are needed, I pull them out. I mean did I want to gain weight??!! OF COURSE NOT! That is why I am trying to lose it! But it is a heck of a lot harder to do so after menopause! I did not have this hard of a time losing it even two years ago!😠 For the last month I have now been doing intermittent fasting as well. Depending on the day, I either go 15 or 17 hours without eating. Is this helping? I am not sure yet. 

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15

I hope you have a wonderful weekend everyone. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I do appreciate your friendship.

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

Stitching Queen

 Hi friends! Thank you very much for your emails of support and love. I truly appreciate your friendship and kindness. 💕

I want to share my latest finish with you. 

👑Stitching Queen Freebie by Violets & Verses Jennifer kindly emailed me this free pattern, as I do not "do" Facebook. If you are on Facebook, her page is Violets & Verses, and I understand that is where she also has more free patterns available. I wanted to finish this just as she did, mounted on this wood crown from Hobby Lobby. My Hobby Lobby did not have it in the store. I ordered it. (# 1914621) Madeleine offered to paint it for me to match my 32ct pink linen (from Lisa 🥰). I chose my own floss colors. I used DMC and VMSS.

I am working on the finishing of an Easter piece!! 🐰 You will see that finish next time.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another."  John 15: 11-17

Have a great week friends! 😘🤗

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

💗Henry💗

 Hi friends! I finished the Henry pattern I was working on. 🐩The pattern is only called #615, how about we call it           💗Henry💗 by Helen Burgess🐩 

I have had this pattern in my stash for years! When I purchased it, Henry looked just like the picture.

For the last year now we have been cutting his ears short, so I asked our artistic daughter Madeleine to once again help me out with the pattern. 😊 She made the ears shorter and worked the shading. I got rid of the collar, as Henry really does not wear a collar. I also used my own color choices, much lighter to match Henry's colors. I stitched this two over two on 32ct Blue Ice Belfast linen with Anchor flosses and GA Lambswool. I am waiting to frame this, BECAUSE I also have a pattern of our dear Mabel in my stash that I NEED to stitch SOON.

I am now stitching an Easter piece! I do not recall EVER stitching out of season! I am doing this because a dear IG friend loaned me her Brenda Gervais Jellybean Jubilee pattern book and I want to get it back to her. I stitched one pattern from the book earlier this year. I am now working on another. I have two more I want to do also!! I plan to do another Christmas gift first though. Are you working on Christmas gifts yet?

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13

Oh friends do be careful while you are out and about. The virus is still alive and well and thriving and many people are dying. I don't want it to be YOU.

God bless you and thank you for stopping by today. I am so glad you did. I do hope you have a lovely weekend!

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

French Country Angel

 Hi friends! Hello to Cécile! Were you able to find the poodle pattern you were looking for on my blog? I hope so. I could not respond directly to you, as you do not have email contact information. If you are looking for poodle patterns still Cécile, please email me.

💖French Country Angel by JBW Designs

I can't believe I am already done! This one is for my Mom.💝 Every Christmas I either stitch her an angel or cat Christmas ornament. My Mom and Brian are are my biggest cross stitch gift appreciators. It is wonderful stitching for them. They LOVE everything I make. 😁 I stitched this angel two over two on 32ct Antique white evenweave with VMSS Valentine Red. If you take a look at the bottom left of the pattern, you can spot the difference I made to the pattern. 

It was bugging me TOO much. I asked everyone in the household if it was supposed to read "Gloria"?? They all thought so. So I rearranged a bit and put in an "i" and I think it works! Ruching that ribbon took a while, but it was worth it. Do you see the little angel pin on top? This is the biggest ornament I have made, but I don't think Mom will mind. Thank you Georgia for the gift of this pattern! 🥰

I am almost done stitching my Henry pattern.

📚Meet Isabel Puddles by MV Byrne is a witty murder mystery set on the western coast of Michigan. My friend Mel on Instagram recommended it, and I am glad she did. Mel picked the book up because of the cool cross stitch cover. I have to say I would have done the same thing if I had seen it at my library. I will say that I was disappointed in that the main character, Isabel, is a knitter, NOT a cross stitcher! I think the graphic designer did NOT know his crafts?! There are several references in the book to her knitting. No references to cross stitching! Whatever. It IS a good cozy mystery book. I like Isabel. I look forward to book number two. That should tell you something.

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

I hope you have a wonderful, healthy week my friends! God bless you.

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

When you and your 23 year old daughter decide to dress up your grumpy cat. 😂 This "torture" took about a minute, and 😾 Cally was rewarded with her Friskies Party Mix treats!

September

 Hi friends! Here are my displays for September.

📚September Cubby Shelf Display📚 

These are all stitched over one. Except the little September pillow on top. Have you ever wondered about the lady in the center of the cubby shelf? I stitched her in 2017. I stitched her because to me, she looks like Maisie, and I am a huge fan of Jacqueline Winspear and Maisie Dobbs, so I just had to create a Maisie for my cubby shelf. If you have not read the series, I highly recommend it! "Maisie" is stitched one over one on 40ct cream linen using DMC 640.

🍂🍄September Corner Shelf🍄🍂

I am now stitching a portrait of little Henry. 😁 I have had this pattern in my stash for so many years! This month I already got my Mom's Christmas ornament stitched up, so I began Henry. I need to finish the ornament, but, well, doing ornament making is not as fun, is it? I will get it done this week. I will!

Have there been any new charts released during this year's Needlework Expo that caught your eye? I do not catch the Needlework Expo Fever. I would be interested to hear what your favorites are though.

Auntie Kathy needs your prayers my friends. She had her chemo infusion on Friday, but went into anaphylactic shock after her chemo was completed. It took another hour and 45 minutes giving her oxygen and meds to get her under control. :( She cannot have chemo. Only the chemo pill she has been taking. She sees her doctor soon. 

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,  while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  2Corinthians 4:16-18

I hope and pray this is a nice long weekend for my American friends. Thank you to everyone for stopping by. I am so glad you enjoy visiting with me. 😊 Thank you. I appreciate your friendship all these years!

Stitching and praying,

Vickie