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Hi friends! I should have shared Emerson and Madeleine's finished ornaments with you by now. Well, how about now? 💝💚Sing Noel by Praiseworthy Stitches💚💝

Yes, I stitched this three times! I changed the blue bird to look like our parakeet who just died a couple months ago.💙

This is stitched two over two on 32ct Blue Ice Belfast Linen. The words are stitched over one.

It is finally safe to show these❣️ All the trees have reached their new homes. This is the first time I paper pieced/foundation pieced a quilt block. I am VERY happy with my little 🎄s.

I received a wonderful gift from our friend Robin. This wooden ornament that she stitched on. So neat! I have never done one like that myself.

Thank you once again Robin!💝

💕💞✨💍✨💞💕My husband! In the 33 years we have been together (since I asked him out when I was 17!!) has RARELY been able to keep a gift until the proper time❣️ How do you like my new pinky ring?!

I LOVE it❣️ Can't stop wearing it❣️ This sterling silver sewing needle ring is from Esmesilverblueberry

Friends I have not mentioned it until now, but our little Henry has been suffering terribly in pain from his herniated disc in his neck. We are taking him to the veterinarian today. There will be x-rays to determine if he has additional herniated discs now. I fear this is so. He screams in pain every morning. I medicate him with the full doses of all three medications the vet has given me for when he gets bad. An anti-inflammatory, a pain pill and gabapentin, a nerve pain medication, the same exact one I am on for my herniated disc in my lower back. Would you please pray for our Henry? We are hopeful the doctor can help him with increased medications since he does kind of okay during the day, but we are thinking of the possibility of having to put him down, and that my friends is just horrid. 💔 Thank you.

“But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.” Psalm 73:28

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

💖💚💚💖

Hi friends! 💖💚Here is the December Cubby Shelf Display💚💖

🎄 Here is the December Corner Shelf Display🎄There are several gifts from friends from over the years displayed here. The tiny piece with the 🦌🎄❤️in the white frame is from my Madeleine. She stitched it when she was 12 years old and framed it herself (with a frame from my stash!). It was all a surprise to me!🥰

The winner of the LK pattern Merry HoHoHo is: Martina!

I am currently listening to Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Have many of you read this? When? I never read it as a girl. I specifically remember looking at this book on the shelf in our library at our public grade school in fourth or fifth grade, thinking about checking it out. I decided it against it. It was too thick. 😉 That, and I preferred stories about animals.

I think you  can guess why my interest is once again aroused in this book, can't you? Are you planning on seeing the movie? We are! I am NOT a fan of seeing movies once I read the book, and I have never seen a version of Little Women believe it or not, so I hope I will NOT be disappointed. It will be interesting to see if they keep the wonderful morals and teaching about God in the movie.

This book is set back in the 1960's, a simpler time. I enjoyed listening to it from the start for just that reason alone! This book has so many lessons learned along the way about pain, death, friendship, bullying.
New Bremen, Minnesota, 1961. The Twins were playing their debut season, ice-cold root beers were selling out at the soda counter of Halderson’s Drugstore, and Hot Stuff comic books were a mainstay on every barbershop magazine rack. It was a time of innocence and hope for a country with a new, young president. But for thirteen-year-old Frank Drum it was a grim summer in which death visited frequently and assumed many forms. Accident. Nature. Suicide. Murder. Frank begins the season preoccupied with the concerns of any teenage boy, but when tragedy unexpectedly strikes his family—which includes his Methodist minister father; his passionate, artistic mother; Juilliard-bound older sister; and wise-beyond-his-years kid brother—he finds himself thrust into an adult world full of secrets, lies, adultery, and betrayal, suddenly called upon to demonstrate a maturity and gumption beyond his years. Told from Frank’s perspective forty years after that fateful summer, Ordinary Grace is a brilliantly moving account of a boy standing at the door of his young manhood, trying to understand a world that seems to be falling apart around him. It is an unforgettable novel about discovering the terrible price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13

Thank you for stopping by today my friends! I hope you have a stressfree week!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

🎄Ornaments!🎄

Hi friends! I want to share with you the finish that is the first of THREE of these I must make for my adult children. These are in memory of Winky, Madeleine's eleven year old blue parakeet that died just a couple of months ago.

This is called🎵Sing Noel by Praiseworthy Stitches🎵  I made a few changes to this. I used the metallic threads that I had on hand. I chose this pattern because of the bird. I changed the blue bird to look like our parakeet. 💙 This is stitched two over two on 32ct Blue Ice Belfast Linen. The words are stitched over one.

I was given this ornament by our friend Sally 💗

Isn't it just perfect for me?! I love it! Thank you once again Sally!

And I was given these gifts by our friend June 💗

Yes! Another perfectly pink ornament! I think my friends know me!💗 That Matryoshka doll is too pretty to be used as a keychain June. I do believe I will make her into an ornament also. 😊 Thank you once again June!

I continue on in daily pain with plantar fasciitis. It has developed in my left foot also now.😬

I have two physical therapists. That is the way they do it at this particular site. You alternate seeing two different people. I have Alyson and Luke. I like them both, but...LUKE. Good grief! One exercise he had added was heel raises. Then he had me do them with the front of my foot elevated. Then he said if I wanted I can add a back pack to my back with a milk jug in it for resistance. Is he nuts?! Listen, kid, you told me I will get well on my own even without PT!! I do remember that! I am still thinking of bailing out. I am not kidding. He is no longer doing the "foot manipulations" or rough massage or whatever you wanna call it. The stuff I thought seemed worth going to the appointments for. He had me doing leg presses last week! I have never used a leg press machine in my life! I am scared of what we will do next time!

I am very glad I saw Alyson on Monday. She asked how it was going and I told her that Luke asks me to try to keep slowly increasing the treadmill time. I told her I realized I cannot. It is hurting me. I told her I decided I am backing it back down to 11 minutes twice daily and that is it. Any more than that and it causes pain. She said you are smart. You must listen to your feet. We don't know what your feet are telling you. I think we are pushing you too fast too soon. We also discussed shoe stuff since Alyson suffers from plantar fasciitis herself. Then she asked me, "What is the best thing I could do to help you today?" Boy did that make me happy. I told her the foot manipulation stuff. So she did that. After I got home, I cancelled my appointment for Luke for today! HA! 😁 Don't know what excuse I am giving, but it is cancelled.

I thank you for stopping by today my friends! I am very glad you did. 💗 I hope you have a great week! It is REALLY COLD here! It will be only 17 degrees today.🥶

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:24-25

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Merry Ho Ho Ho

Hi friends! How are your Christmas preparations coming along?! I have my Christmas cards sent done and sent out. I am waiting just a bit for my cross stitch friends on my list.😉 Those are going out shortly! But they are ready and waiting. The number one thing that is still stressing me out is that my kids' Christmas ornaments will be late this year.☹️ Every year they get an ornament in their Christmas stocking for St. Nick's on the 6th. I do not always stitch the ornament each year, but mostly I do. The hold up was the special linen from Ye Olde Stitchery. It finally came and it was too dark. Then I ordered an alternative from 123Stitch. So I have begun stitching one of the ornaments. This year all three of the ornaments are the same. They have a little blue bird in them. It reminds me of Winky, our parakeet that just died. I thought this would make a nice piece for this year.

I did make progress on the baby sampler piece in the meantime. It is set aside for now. I will finish it once all three ornaments are completed.

I have the cubby shelf done and the wreaths up. That is it for decorating so far.🤷‍♀️

I do have a Giveaway Pattern for you! Courtesy of  our friend Robin This is LK Merry Ho Ho Ho.

If you would like this pattern, you need to be a sidebar follower of mine,and you need to leave a comment on this post stating you would like the pattern. I will draw a name on Monday, December 16th.

Have you read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier? I know this is a classic, but I never read it til recently. Wow! What a great book! I loved it very much and highly recommend it!
"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again." With these words, the reader is ushered into an isolated gray stone mansion on the windswept Cornish coast, as the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter recalls the chilling events that transpired as she began her new life as the young bride of a husband she barely knew. For in every corner of every room were phantoms of a time dead but not forgotten—a past devotedly preserved by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers: a suite immaculate and untouched, clothing laid out and ready to be worn, but not by any of the great house's current occupants. With an eerie presentiment of evil tightening her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter walked in the shadow of her mysterious predecessor, determined to uncover the darkest secrets and shattering truths about Maxim's first wife—the late and hauntingly beautiful Rebecca.

I am so glad you stopped by today my friends! I won't be back again until the giveaway or until I finish an ornament completely! Whichever is first!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Thanksgiving Bird

Hi friends! Is it cold by you? It is here. Not quite so bad this week. We still have snow on the ground. Not much.

We had another stitch gathering on Saturday. This time it was at a lady named Lisa's house. She was not able to make it last time when we met at Panera. There were seven of us ladies this time, including Barb and Leanne. No picture sorry.😉 We did have a lovely afternoon with delicious soup Lisa made and challah bread I baked, and of course lots and lots of laughs❣️

The winner for the Heart in Hand Thanksgiving Bird chart is: Lynda Ruth!



I have been stitching away on the baby piece for the young couple. This is a picture of it. It is by Durene Jones. I have not stitched the tiny lock of hair. I am waiting to see what color hair baby Luke has. Also, on the back of the blanket, you stitch the date of baby's birth.

I am rather stressed. I am really, really behind in stitching this year. All because I created my own sampler. I just felt the impulse to do it finally and went with it. It took all of September and now.... Well now, I am WAY behind. I do not see how I will get the kids' ornaments made for St. Nicks'. Honestly, as soon as the special linen comes in the mail this week, I am dropping this baby piece. They can wait for it. They do not even know I am making it. I must start the ornaments! I am stressed because I ordered the linen from Ye Olde Stitchery and I am waiting to see if the linen shows up. They say online that you can follow your order because it is tracked. Not so. It has never said anything but being processed. They are one of two places anywhere that I can find that have it. I do NOT need this delay! I wanted to just back out of the order and change colors. They will not let you.

I am sharing with you the last two The Cat Who Books!!!!!!!

As the devoted readers of the series know, Qwill has been working on this book since The Cat Who Tailed a Thief. Now the tales are finally all compiled-legends such as "The Secret of the Blacksmith's Wife" and "The Trevelyan Curse." In Short and Tall Tales, Lilian Jackson Braun introduces James Mackintosh Qwilleran and tells how he collected the tales. Qwill provides a preface for each legend, identifying the teller and the circumstances. And it is no surprise that the tales themselves are entertaining stories that reveal the off-beat "history" of Moose County. Cat Who . . .fans will delight in reading these stories and anecdotes taken from the pages of the books they have come to love.

The New York Times bestselling author of the Cat Who mysteries presents a fantastic collection of feline fiction which includes fourteen short stories about kitties who just can’t keep their whiskers out of trouble... Filled with furballs like a courageous Siamese who bags a cunning cat burglar, a country kitty who proves a stumbling block in a violent murder, and an intuitive feline whose premonition helps solve the case of the missing antiques dealer, this collection will delight cat lovers and mystery aficionados alike! This Collection Includes: Phut Phat Concentrates • Weekend of the Big Puddle • The Fluppie Phenomenon • The Hero of Drummond Street • The Mad Museum Mouser • The Dark One • East Side Story • Tipsy and the Board of Health • A Cat Named Conscience • SuSu and the 8:30 Ghost • Stanley and Spook • A Cat Too Small for His Whiskers • The Sin of Madame Phloi • Tragedy on New Year’s Eve

I am so sad to be done with The Cat Who!! I kid you not! I feel withdrawal over it! I also am not kidding!

I was fitted for a pair of Asics shoes by the district manager of our local Rogan's Shoes. She took over a half hour with me. I wore them on the treadmill and for physical therapy. I told my physical therapist, Luke that they did not feel very good. He told me to go back and tell them that. He said to listen to your feet. I went back and she found me a better fitting pair. I wore them at home all day and the pain in my right foot was almost gone!! Brian returned them for me though. For the price we paid, $120!!!, we ordered them in all pink!! They come this week. It is worth the wait for me.💗 After this pair, when I need a pair next time, we can shop online and find better deals. We wanted to give the district manager the sale. She spent a LOT of time with me and helped me!

“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

I hope and pray you have a wonderful week my friends! Thank you for stopping by! I appreciate YOU!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

🦃🦃🦃

Hi friends! I have fun, little Autumn finishes to share with you! I had this idea come into my mind the other week. I have seen little deer shaped votive candle holders used to hold tiny cross stitch finishes instead of candles on Instagram. These were sold as kits originally a few years ago I believe. Well I figured I could just buy my own deer right?🦌

I went looking on the internet, and ooOoo! I found not only 🦌 but 🦃!!! Take a look at what I made!

Aren't these fun?

I went through my old fall issues of Just Cross Stitch magazines looking for the perfect patterns to place in the turkeys. I hit the jackpot when I found the November 3rd, 2014 issue. All of the patterns you see that I used came from this issue. The pattern is called Quaker Acorn Etui by Pamela Lewis and Susan Rohm of Praiseworthy Stitches. I stitched these with DMC and VMSS 2 over one on 30ct mystery linen.

The first one I finished is the pattern with the acorn pair and the squirrel. I sewed that into a tiny pillow. 🥴 I am not pleased with the outcome. It is not a perfect circle. I realized I cannot sew a perfect circle. Especially not that tiny! So I changed the way I made the other two. Dare I tell you?! I guess I will. I figure I am doing these for ME. When I die, I will not know what happens to these. I know my kids cherish the Christmas ornaments I make them, as for everything else??? I do NOT know. SO.... I actually used a Snapple bottle cap. 😮 Yes. Many of you do not use glue, or do you? I don't know. I use Alene's glue in quite a few a my finishes. I refer to Vonna's tutorials still after all these years and she says to use that glue!

I used a Snapple bottle cap, wrapped my stitching around and down the cap, and glued  just the edges underneath the cap. Then I just dropped the bottle cap into the turkey! At least I have a nice round finish. I was going to say, nobody knows, but now you all know!🙄

Would any of you like this chart? Will you stitch it?

This chart was given to me by our friend our friend Robin  You need to be a sidebar follower of mine and leave a comment on this post. I will draw a winner on Monday, November 18th.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

Keep warm my friends! I don't know if it is very cold by you, but it is frigid here in Wisconsin. We have snow too!

Well, I am off to stitch more on a small baby sampler for a first baby of a young couple.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

A Nurse's Prayer

Hi friends! How are you? Remember last week, when I told you we got snow? Well it is still on the ground here somewhat. We got 6 inches of snow last week on the last day of October! And a little more is headed our way in a few days. Yuck! It is just too early!

Here is the November cubby shelf.

Here is what is in the November pedestal frame.

And here is the poodle display board.

Well, Jacob is coming tonight finally for his "birthday dinner and cake". I will go ahead and show you all his gift I made him, as he does not look at my blog.

This is "A Nurse's Prayer" by Jean Lanning. I stitched this on white 36ct linen. Our Jacob is a pediatric nurse at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Could not be more proud of him.He is a very caring, loving, Christian man.

I have plantar facsciitis. What is that? Something I wish I did not have! Our friend Carol knows!! Remember when dear Carol's foot ailed her for many months?? Yes! I am in pain. I have been since the very beginning of August.😞 How did this come about? Um, you won't believe this! I can't! Embarrassing. Okay here goes. I saw these exercises, called step ups. Heard of them? If not here is a link to show you what they are:HERE I thought I would do step ups to firm up my rear end. Yep. I did them once or twice a day for two weeks. By the end of that time, the bottom and top of my right foot REALLY hurt! So I stopped doing them! The problem is that the pain did not go away. I also do the treadmill for one hour a day 6 days a week. I suppose my foot did not have time to heal? I don't know. I do know my foot was not used to moving in that type of way, repeatedly and intensely like I was doing.

So what did I do? Nothing. I ignored it. I kept at the treadmill every day, until.... the beginning of October one day my ankle gave out on me while on the treadmill. I had to grab the bars and hold on. My body was telling me, "Hey dummie! The pain is telling you STOP!" So I stopped using the treadmill and saw my doctor finally. She ordered x-rays. Nothing. She told me to take ibuprofen daily, rest it, NO treadmill and see an orthopedic doctor who specializes in feet. I could not get in to see him until the end of the month. Drove me nuts not doing the treadmill all month!

I saw him. He said I had arthritis and I need special shoe inserts. Okay. He said I am to go to a phsical therapist for this. I go to the physical therapist for it and he said no, you have plantar fasciitis. Good news! It is not permanent! I am glad he knows what he is doing. I am rather disappointed the orthopedic doctor didn't?? I asked if I even need these shoe inserts. He said no. Okay. Fine with me. My physical therapist, Luke, tells me that this can take up to 10 months to go away. Wow! Glad 3 months are already past. I am doing stretches and strengthening exercises and beginning the treadmill for 10 minutes twice a day again. The bad news is that the exercises kinda cause more pain.😬

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

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

Stitching and praying,
Vickie