May's Lily of the Valley

 Hi friends! How are you? I hope you are getting nice weather? We finally are.

I did finish stitching my gift piece for my priest. I am lazy and have not finally finished it off yet! I do not feel pressure to do so. The plans have changed a bit now. The priest who is assigned to come to us, is still at the same parish for now. His paperwork has not come through yet. He is from Serbia. He does not speak English very well at all either, Father shared with us. And the congregation the priest is in has quite a few immigrants, so they really are very comfortable with him. Our Bishop is looking to see if there may possibly be another priest to come to us. Father Serafim cannot stay long term. He has just been elected a Bishop!

Let me share the piece I have fully finished with you. 🐌May's Lily of the Valley🐌by Cottage Garden Samplings. 

I stitched this one over two on 40ct lambswool linen with DMC, VMSS and WDW. Because I changed it up a bit. 😉 I am making flat finishes out of all twelve months and mounting them with a magnet to this finishing piece I got from Hobby Lobby.

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I stitched a little Lizzie Kate piece for a friend for her birthday, which I cannot show. It is in the mail. I will show it once she receives it.🥰

I am now stitching another birthday gift which I cannot show. What are you up to?

📚🎧Well friends I have a different series for you! This series was recommended to me over half a year ago to me by my friend Lisa and I took my good, old time getting around to the first book! This is quite different from other books I read. The setting is in Botswana, and the main character is Mma Precious Ramotswe. She is a self assured, modern woman full of love for her country who also happens to be Botswana’s premier lady detective. I am enjoying this series. These books are charming and clean. They are interesting and I enjoy learning about this culture. I am already on book number six. If you like detective stories and would like to learn about Africa as well, this is for you!

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.  If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.  Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

If he is thirsty, give him a drink;

For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21

Thank you for stopping by today my friends! I hope and pray you have a blessed new week.

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

 Hi friends!

The winner of the 🌼Homespun Collectibles🌼pattern is:

Lynda Ruth!

I have been stitching on a special piece for our beloved priest all week. He will be leaving us soon. 😢 He was with us only to fill in, until the priest who has been called to this position comes soon. His wife has been on total bed rest for over half her pregnancy and was told not to move during her pregnancy. So they have not. After they have their child, they will come here to Wisconsin, and Father Serafim will go back to the monastery where he teaches(Father Serafim is also a monk.). He has been with us almost one year now. He came when Father Dragan retired last year. I am very sad to see him go. We all are. He has been such a spiritual father to me. We go to weekly Bible study with him. He is SO intelligent. He has also personally counselled me, as I still suffer trauma from childhood abuse.

📚🎧I  finished listening to this audiobook by Adriana Trigiani. Oh my friends, have you ever read a book by Adriana and been disappointed?! I certainly have not! I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this story. A multigenerational Italian AND Scottish! love story during WWII.

 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.  1Corintthians 10:13

I hope you all have a wonderful, stitchtastic weekend! Thank you for commenting. I appreciate that. You brighten my day with your friendship.

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

Garden Angel

 Hi friends! 🌼Homespun Collectibles🌼

This is the perfect pattern for my dear Mom. I stitched it for her birthday, which is tomorrow. I stitch my Mom an angel or a cat every year and my Mom is a MASTER GARDENER.🌻🌹🌸🌷🏵️She still gets out there most every day, despite the pain in her body, to tend her garden. I learned the love of gardening from my Mom. 

I received this pattern from my friend Gracie and knew I would stitch it up for my Mom. I used the flatfold tutorial from our friend Vonna. I stitched this with DMC (I changed two of them) two over two on Ice Blue Cashel 28ct linen.

Would you also like to stitch this darling pattern?

 If so, leave a comment telling me so on this post. This giveaway is open to all of my sidebar followers of this blog. I will draw a winner on Friday, May 20th.

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I get to meet up with my local stitch group, Cross Stitcherhood, tonight! HOORAY! Always a fun time stitching, chatting and laughing with my friends. I will be stitching on a birthday present for a friend.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;  1Peter 3:15

It has turned hot here. I hope you are enjoying the weather you have. I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Thank you for stopping by.

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

Winner

 Hi friends! We are this far into May and I have failed to show you my displays! I showed them on Instagram and forgot on the blog. 🙄

💐May Cubby Shelf Display💐Almost every one of these are stitched over one, except the little pillows on top.

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🐩💗May Corner Shelf💗🐩Second picture is the backside of the Mother's Day card I cherish from my Mom from many years ago.💕 No true theme to this month's shelves. I just put out some things that don't always get as much time on display and that make me 😁, because LIFE IS SHORT!

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I am close to a finish on my Mom's angel. I will give that pattern away when I am done stitching that pattern.

I drew a name this morning for the pattern giveaway. This is the pattern I am giving away:

The winner is: Martina! 

Martina, I have your postal address and I will get this pattern out to you this week my friend.🥰

The weather is warming up here! I like the warm weather. Not hot. 

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  James 5:16

I hope you have a wonderful week ahead my friends! I plan to bake some bread and maybe bake a cheesecake too. 😁

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

Little Henry

 Hi friends! I took a short break from working on Mom's angel and created this! 

🤎💕3D Punch Needle Little Henry. I CANNOT STAND THE CUTENESS QUITE ACTUALLY. I have been wanting to create this for YEARS, I finally said this is the week! Would you believe this is a free coloring page I found on google images? Yep. It looks just like my little Henry. AAAHHH! I just finished punching this a few days ago, and waited until Henry was done at the groomer today to get final pictures. I showed Mary our groomer the punch needle. She was in love. She took pictures! 🥰 

I used the tutorial for how to make a stand alone from Doodle Dog Primitives for the finishing. I wish the back looked good. ☹️ I have a hard time attaching the wool at the curves. It looks messy there. Otherwise I would enter Henry in the State Fair! I am SO GLAD he is finally done. I LOVE him❣️

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Do any of you also punch needle? It is honestly very easy. My only complaint is that it flares up tendonitis in my wrist from the repetition when doing larger projects like this one. This took four days start to finish, including finishing, but I worked all day every day on it.

I am now back to stitching Mom's angel.

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  Matthew 5:11-12

Thank you very much for stopping by. I am so glad you did! I hope you have a great weekend! It is very nice weather here this weekend.

To all of the moms celebrating Mother's Day this Sunday, God bless you and I wish you a wonderful Mother's Day.

Stitching and praying, 

Vickie