Another Giveaway in Honor of ME!!

December 30th is my 59th birthday. In honor of my special day, I'm giving away this chart! If you would like a chance to win it, please post a comment. I will choose the lucky person on January 2nd!

Merry Christmas to All....

Thanks to all of you who have stopped by to visit my blog and left such nice and encouraging messages. This is my first year of having a blog, and I've so enjoyed it. I look forward to continuing in 2009 and hope you all will stay with me! Merry Christmas!

Built for Two....

Our neighbor on the corner has her yard fixed up so cute all the time. And then at Christmas, she adds more displays. She has this statue of the kids on the bike out all the time, but for the holidays, she "dressed them for the weather". I just had to snap a picture to share with you all!

The Winner of My Second Giveaway Is....

Diana!! Please email me at lacey_huson@yahoo.com with your address!

My Second Giveaway of the Month!

I'm going to be giving away this chart to a lucky someone! It is called "Jingle All the Way" and is by Notforgotten Farm. If you are interested in it, please leave a comment on this post. I will pick the winner on Thursday and announce it on Friday!

A day off....fa la la la....

Yesterday, I took the day off and went to my favorite little town of Occoquan to visit the quaint country shops they have there. I had a great time wandering around looking at everything. The shops look so sweet at this time of the year - all decked out in their Christmas finery - with lighted candles in the windows and trees sparkling inside. I got five "fat quarters" of fabric at the quilt shop. I'm hoping to turn some of my cross-stitch finishes into little pillows. I just love the ones I picked out! Then I got the two candle holders. The one on the right, is pewter - and is holding a primitive "battery operated" candle. I saw this one a few weeks ago, but didn't get it. Was so excited to see it was still there! The one on the left is holding a skinny striped candle. I have tons of these candles - can't even remember where I got them. But I decided it was time to start burning them! I also found the little "believe" sign, and the adorable snowman ornament! Then I went to the cross-stitch shop and picked up two holiday charts. I'm finding that lately, I'm really drawn to charts that have the word Christmas in them or winter or holiday or Noel - well, you get the picture - LOL! I also picked up 3 pieces of linen from the scrap basket. When in Occoquan, I stopped at the little restaurant and got a cup of chili and a roll and some water. Then I sat at my favorite table that is by the window and looks out on the street scene. And just munched down and enjoyed the view! A nice relaxing day! Can't wait to go back soon!

Winner of my giveaway for the autumn chart is

Linda in TN!! Please email me with your address and I'll get it out to you!

A Giveaway Contest!!

I read some wonderful blogs every day when I get home from work. Some of them have giveaway contests, which are so much fun! So, I've decided, in honor of my birthday month, I will do my very first one. The winner will receive the above chart called "Autumn Splendor" by 4MyBoys. Just leave a message here saying you would like to be entered in the contest. I will leave it open until Sunday and then draw a name on Monday.

Knit One, Purl Two....

A few years ago, when I had to stop cross-stitching because I could no longer see those tiny holes on the linen, I had to find something to occupy my hands. So I started knitting. Over the next year or so, I made scarves and hats and felted purses - even a few shawls. Last year, I finally got some close-up lenses, and was once again able to do my beloved cross-stitch. So I stopped knitting. But a couple of months ago, with the cooler weather coming in, I found myself wanting to do some knitting again also. I've got many scarves started, including this one, which is coming along very nicely. I'm using Noro Silk Garden.

Ahhhh Kids (can be so cute)!

overheard and seen at the library this past week:

A little boy pulling off an adult book from the shelves and saying - oh Mom, this is the one about the pig that turns into a baby....

A Mother telling her little boy it is time to go now - and the little boy turning around and waving bye bye to the display case....

A tiny little girl looking at the picture books and saying - "oh My - ohhhhh My"....

A little boy asking his Mom - Mom, what would happen if I poked my eye out....

Two little twin boys (cute as can be) sitting in a double stroller, poking each other's ears, (then screaming), taking each other's hats off, hitting each other very fast with their hands - like the two stooges. I think they were bored and ready to go!

I always get such a kick out of seeing and hearing these things during the week!

It is ALL Tanya's Fault!!

I was reading Tanya's blog the other day and I saw where she got these adorable little Christmas placques at Michaels. Welllll, I had been to Michaels that day and I didn't see them. Because if I had seen them, they would have gone home with me! So of course, before I met my friend for dinner last night, I had to run to another Michaels right near there, and get some! It took me several times of walking up and down the aisles, but I finally found them. Then the decision, which ones to take. I really wanted them all, but settled for four. And I also found this adorable little snowman ornament! Tonight, I had the pleasure of finding spots to hang each of the placques. I had to take a few things down in order to find room on my walls - LOL! The ornament will be hung on my tree soon....

Playing Hookey!

When I got up today, it was cloudy and chilly out. My favorite type of day to go to my favorite little historic town. So I called in "sick"and got myself ready to go shopping!! First, of course, was a trip to Starbucks for a hot chocolate to keep me company on the drive there. I love this town especially during the fall and winter months. Today, all the shops were decorated up with lights and trees - filled with all kinds of sweet items. I wanted almost everything I saw - LOL! But due to money issues, I had to limit myself. I got a few things, including this little ornament in the picture - it says "Letters to Santa". I loved it, and can't wait to see it hanging on my tree. I found a few other little primitive ornaments, some vintage looking garland that you can also see in my picture, some battery operated primitive "candles", including one (not shown) that I will clip to the top of my tree as a tree topper. I also picked up a couple of pieces of fabric for when I make some of my cross-stitched items into pillows. I stopped at my favorite restaurant there and got my regular table by the window. It was so pretty sitting there looking out while eating and reading. I had a small bowl of spicey chili - yum! After leaving the little town, I drove over to a cross-stitch store and did some more shopping - again, not as much as I would have liked! LOL! And then got another cup of coffee for the drive home. A very nice day!

Saluting our Veterans....

including my Daddy. He served in the Navy during World War II. He was stationed on Saipan. When we were growing up, he would never speak about what he went through during those times. A few years ago, when they were dedicating the WWII memorial in Washington, D.C., my parents came here for a visit and we went there to see it, and to see all the displays they had on the Mall grounds. We went into one tent where they had people who were collecting the stories of these veterans. I got my Dad to sit and tell his story. I had to turn away a few times - in tears - tears of pride, tears of sadness of what he saw and experienced. One day these stories will go into the Library of Congress. I will never forget this memory I have of this time with my Dad.

I Love Autumn!

Leaves are falling, soft as snowflakes,Red and yellow, gold and brown;The breeze laughs gaily in the treetops,Shaking all the color down.

I was going to go out today and take a picture of all the beautiful trees in all their beauty. But I knew if I started, I would never stop. My blog would explode from all the photos - my camera would scream in pain as the batteries died. Just try to imagine driving down the road on a beautiful cool sunny day - with skies so blue. And among all of that, the trees standing their in all their finery of reds and golds.

YES... WE... CAN....

On November 3rd, I read an article written by a former Washington Post Columnist. The last paragraph brought me to tears.... "Against all sensible odds and reasoned predictions, untold numbers of Americans of every persuasion have opened their hearts, minds and souls to the possibility that a black man is the best choice to lead them. Whatever happens, an immeasurable amount of light has illuminated our darkness. Once such doors have been pried open, it's hard shutting them as tightly as before. That is a change worth believing in"

Well, last night, that light started to shine....

Trick or Treat....

Shadows of a thousand years
Rise again unseen
Voices whisper in the trees
Tonight is Halloween

Yipppeeee!!

This is what I was going to resort to soon! My 32 year old dryer broke last Friday for about the fourth time. Right before my husband was leaving to drive to Delaware. Needless to say, he waved to me as I went out the drive to go to the laundromat - and he went out the drive to go on his visit to his sister. Needless to say - I was fuming - LOL! He tried valiantly for two days to fix it - AGAIN. While I'm thinking - buy a dryer - buy a new dryer - please dear Lord - BUY A NEW DRYER!!! So Tuesday night, that is what we did. It was delivered today and I am thrilled. For one, I won't have to go to the laundromat again tomorrow night. And for another - it has a light inside when you open the door! Oh, it has other things too - like various extra switches to turn to do all kinds of fancy drying and so on. But it has a light!!

Fa la la la la.....

I saw these little ornaments done up in my LNS and thought they looked so cute. I asked what was inside of them and they told me - all the leftover pieces of thread from needlework projects they had done. So I decided right there and then to start saving my left over threads also. I had enough to fill two ornaments - one for me and one for my sister! I hope she likes hers.

Old Keys....

I love old keys. I collected these over the years from various antique shops.
I plan on using some of them on some of my needlework designs in the future.
The rest will stay in the little tin I have them in - and I will take them out from time to time - just to look at them - and think of what they used to unlock. Maybe someone's heart. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do.

Primitive things....

I love primitive things. If I could, I'd have my whole house decorated that way. I especially gravitate towards primitive designs when I'm cross-stitching. Here are some I did many years ago. The one on the left with the alphabet surrounding the cabin was done in February of 1995. The smaller one in the middle was finished in July of 1994. This was my first foray into coffee dyeing linen. It turned out fairly well. I also stitched this design for my Mom, but I made hers more modern looking with the fabric and the frame I chose. The design on the right was done in 1995 also. I always call it "Lacey's sampler". She was my beloved cat. My husband and I would at times call her Lucy or Lucy Goosey. She died a few years ago. We still miss her....

In Memory of My Friend

My friend Carol loved sunflowers, frogs, Winnie-the-Poo, and me....
She passed away a little over two years ago. I'm stitching this sunflower sampler in her memory. Carol, I miss you so much, and always will.

Haiku for Autumn

Dressed in reds and golds

Royal in her finery

Autumn has arrived

Weellll, I Tried....

I'm trying to branch out and do a few different things in my cross-stitching. After making my biscornu, I decided to try a pinkeep drum. The cross-stitching went just fine - LOL! It was the sewing up part that gave me fits. After stitching this up, and then taking it apart and trying it again, this was my finished product! I apologize to the designer, Stacy Nash, for my bungling it so badly! I was almost too embarassed to even put it on my blog! I have little hand sewing skills. I hope to get better. I'm starting another biscornu tonight. As for one day trying another pinkeep drum - well, let me say - I don't think so - ha!

September Days...

"September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn. The cricket chirps in the noontide, making the most of what remains of his brief life. The bumblebee is busy among the clover blossoms of the aftermath, and their shrill and dreamy hum hold the outdoor world above the voices of the song birds, now silent or departed."

Do You Biscornu....

This is my first attempt at making a "biscornu". It is an eight-sided pin cushion.
The design is by Stacy Nash. I should have taken a picture of the back also, as it has a design on it too. But the front part is much prettier. I made a few flubs and floops, but for the most part, I think it turned out pretty well. I'm excited to have it displayed in my house and am really looking forward to making more!

Loops and braids

Here is the small area rug I'm knitting with potholder loops. These are not the old fashioned loops we used as kids, which were a bit on the spongey side. These are made out of cotton and don't stretch very well. I'm finding it difficult to knit because of that, and also because of the giant sized needles!! I can really only knit about two rows a day, but slowly, it will get done. If (and that is a big if) I should knit another one some day, I will leave out the green and yellow loops. I want a softer look....

Saturday pleasures....

Sitting in front of the open window reading my book
Sipping on a hot cup of coffee
Looking at my sweet cat sleeping on the carpet - surrounded by her toys
Birds chirping outside
A bowl of raisin brand topped with icy cold milk and sliced bananas
The crunch of cherry tomatoes topped with lots of salt
The coolness of the air conditioning as it warms up outside and in...

Witches & Memories....

I keep these two "witches" out on my end table all year long. They hold memories of pleasant times with my best friend Barb and her daughter (my niece) Sara. I got both of them on shopping trips when they came to visit me. The small green one was bought by me when they visited last August. And the larger one was bought as a surprise gift for me when they visited the time before that.

They both make me smile whenever I look at them....

Happy 82nd Birthday Dad!

My Dad doesn't use a computer, so he won't see this, but I wanted to share it with all of you. Today, July 22nd, 2008, is his 82nd birthday! Last year, at this time, he was in the hospital, recovering from quadruple bypass surgery after having a heart attack on July 14, 2007. I'm so glad he will be celebrating it at home this year - or maybe out swimming in the wave pool back at Kings Island in Ohio! This picture was taken at the American Legion in Vienna, Virginia. We stopped by there when my parents were here for a visit. We also went to see the World War II monument in Washington, D.C. right before the official opening. My Dad enjoyed both of these so much. At the big World War II events on the mall in D.C., he "told his story". These stories are being put, eventually, into the Library of Congress.

Quaker samplers....

As I've mentioned before, I love stitching Quaker samplers. This one is called "Quaker Samplings". I'm using DMC #816. I get such pleasure and peace whenever I pick this piece up to work on it.

Summertime and the living is....

well not quite easy, because I hate hot weather. But there have been some pleasures here and there - watching my snapdragons come up in the garden. My Mom always grew them when I was growing up - so they remind me of those carefree days when summers were filled with walks and bike rides - going to the library - playing hide and seek... Another pleasure - looking out my window the other day and seeing a big bluejay trying to fit himself into the small bowl of water I keep on the railing for the birds to drink from. He would stand there - cooling his legs and feet - and then try to get his wings a little wet. After a few times, I guess he was refreshed and flew off.

Ding Dong - Avon Calling

\ Here kitty kitty kitty....

She's a lady - whoa whoa whoa, she's a lady....

Mary Mary Quite Contrary and Little Miss Muffet Sat on Her Tuffet....

Here comes the bride.... I actually bought each of these pieces at different antique stores.

The armoire stands alone.....

O H I O....

I'm slowly building a collection of samplers that have the word "Ohio" on them. Ohio is my home state, even though I've lived away from there for almost 35 years.... I'm close to finishing the one on the right - still have a ways to go on the one on the left. But they are very enjoyable to work on! These two samplers are by the designer "Stacy Nash". Love the thread color selection she chose for both of them!

Flowers and Trees and Storms - oh my!

So here I am to tell - about a good ole tree that fell. This is the tree we lost in the storm a week ago. It had been shading us for almost 25 years. I actually started to cry when they cut it down and took it away. We planted some yellow flowers around it - hoping to cheer the " forlorn trunk", and me, up a bit....

This is the little garden area we have in the corner of our backyard. That big "monster" is a plant we planted last year. My husband thought it wouldn't come back this year, but oh, it did - and even bigger than before! It has really pretty white flowers - almost like "bells". It is hiding two of the three snapdragons we planted. We also planted some white petunias. To the left - the bigger bush - is my lilac - and in the back part - in the grassy area - is a pink rosebush.

Proud and True....

I saw this sampler a couple of weeks ago at an online site. I fell in love with it and wanted it so badly! Last week I started the search for it in my local LNS's. No one had it yet! This week, I tried again and SCORE! I grabbed that sucker up as fast as my little hands could reach out for it. And it was mine - all mine -

ahhhh! The linen it is laying on is what I will be stitching it on. Starting tonight - as soon as I have my shower and settle down on the couch!

Got Stash!!

As you can see, I went stash shopping yesterday! I got lots of goodies!! I've already started on the "patriotic angel" one - she will be a present for my sister. The one in the upper right corner - "Blackhorse Inn" will be for my best friend Barb who lives in Ohio. She and my niece both have horses...

Show and Tell....

Printing characters were stored in type cases, trays divided into many compartments to hold the different letters of the alphabet. Today they are quite popular as wall-mounted display cases to show off small collections. Here is mine. I don't really remember where I bought my case - at an antique shop somewhere around here I'm sure. It took me years to collect all the little pieces I have stored inside. My most inexpensive piece was probably a couple of dollars - the most expensive ones were $25.00 each - those being a "hot chocolate pot and cup set (it even has a dish of little caramels)", and a little porcelain doll. The two samplers displayed above the case were ones I bought in Occoquan - a quaint historic town near me. The DMC sign - not sure where I got that either, but I love it!

A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose....

Sunday Sunday....

Well, it if it Sunday, it must be raining. Seems like out of the past 5 weeks, we have had 4 rainy Sundays. Altho now the sun is starting to peek out at me. I hope to get out for a walk later. Right now, dinner is cooking in the oven, potatoes are boiling on the stove and soon I will sit down to a yummy meal.
The birdies are all flocking around my deck - eating sunflower seeds. The squirrels are sneaking a few (quite a bit) also.... The squirrels get on my nerves at times, but they are quite comical to watch, so I don't mind them all that much. This morning, one was doing back-flips in the back yard, throwing a stick into the air. They also love to jump back and forth through the coiled hose my husband has hanging from the tree!

Monday is coming so quickly - and that means back to work - boooooooo!!

Mommy - quit disturbin me!

Well, I was curled up in my basket, sleeping soundly in the warm sun, when my fool Mommy came in to take my picture and flash the flashbulb in my eyes! Geeze, these humans! Meow! (that means - go away lady!

Show and Tell....A Quilting Lady....

I finished stitching her in December of 1999. I decided to frame her in a bit of an "ornate" frame - against the advice of the framer who thought she should be in a more casual frame. But I thought the one I chose suited her perfectly. I have her hanging in my living room - over a table that is filled with some other treasures. After all these years, I still stop and gaze upon her from time to time.

Rainy Sundays....and birdwatchin....

The past two, possibly three Sundays, have been rainy and cool. Doesn't bother me at all. Yesterday, I came downstairs to feed my cat. I looked outside to see if one of those whacky squirrels was up on the one feeder dish. But it wasn't... instead there was a beautiful red-breasted grosbeak. What a treat to see! I kept watching throughout the day, enjoying the antics of all the birds flitting around the feeders and he finally came back again later in the afternoon. He didn't get to stay long either time he stopped by, because that blasted squirrel kept jumping up in the dish and knocking him off! Arghhh! Oh well, squirrels gotta eat too - right? Right.... But if they keep eating as much as they do, I'm gonna make them get a job! I was throwing water at the squirrels to get them to stay off the one feeder. However, they didn't seem to care at all about that. I actually think they were sticking their tongues out at me - and my cat was inside laughing - ha!

Show and Tell....

You will have to click on the picture to really be able to see these jars. These are jars I found in antique stores over the years. They were previously used for women to store their powder and rouge and creams and so on in. The very first one I bought has an "L" on it. I saw a girl looking at it in the antique store and I asked what it was and that was when I learned what they were used for in years gone by. I wanted this jar so much - especially because it had the "L" on it. I kept looking at other items, while this girl continued to debate on whether to buy it or not. I didn't let on that I wanted it badly!! But I was keeping watch on her out of the corner of my eyes. The second she set it down and walked away, I ran over and said, I want it!! I continued to find more of them and now have a collection of 5. I am always on the look-out for more! The biggest one has the letters L.T.W. on it. It would have been perfection if it was L.S.E. (my maiden name initials), or L.S.H. (my married initials) - but I was happy just to have the "L"!

Crying Uncle!

Well I call Uncle to two things today - one - the squirrels - they keep chewing my one feeder and then all the seed comes out - I tape it and tape it - and they chew through it..... Arghhh!!! I have taped it again and wrapped a wire hanger around it, but I think they will find a way through that also! So, let them and the birds fight it out for the seed in there! There are other feeders the birds will have to eat from instead! Altho they love this one feeder the most!

And I am crying Uncle on Quaker Christmas by Bygone Stitches. I really love the design - think it is beautiful - but every time I picked it up to stitch on it, it seemed like a chore - and then I would put it down for a day or so, and then be filled with dread about picking it up again! So I know it just isn't something I want to stitch! So I'm moving on to other things that I truly enjoy working on!

Book/series Spotlight....

I really enjoy the series of cozy mysteries written by Rett MacPherson. She writes about the character of Torie O'Shea. Torie is a genealogist, living in a small quaint town in Missouri. She has three kids (two of which are always at odds), an understanding (most of the time) husband, a pesky step-father, who she has a like/love/dislike - wants to murder him - relationship... and somehow she always finds herself involved in a murder. I enjoy the historical aspects she puts into her books, and I always find myself giggling a time or two or three.

I just finished her newest one called "The Blood Ballad". In case you are interested, the series order is as follows:

Family Skeletons
A Veiled Antiquity
A Comedy of Heirs
A Misty Mourning
Killing Cousins
Blood Relations
In Sheep's Clothing
Thicker Than Water
Dead Man Running
Died In the Wool
The Blood Ballad

Bird Watching.... and those pesky squirrels....

I love to watch the birds. Sitting here on a quiet afternoon or evening and watching them flit in and away from the feeders - watching their cute and quirky little habits. The "babies" as we call them - which I believe are sparrows - come around several times a day. They almost know that it is "time to eat" - in the morning, around noon, and then around 5 or 6 in the evening. The nervous cardinals who scare off at the slightest breeze. The cute chickadees who zoom in, grap a seed, and zoom off - over and over. I even have a yellow goldfinch popping in and out this week. He/she stops by every year on his/her way to and from somewhere.... That is a special treat to see. The squirrels - well, we are slowly winning the battle - and it has been a battle! Today, I found the new "bird feeding contraption" we had hung up (to keep the squirrels away and let the birds eat) laying on the deck, part of it broken. So my husband just finished hanging it back up. We will see how long it lasts!

We dress alike, We talk alike, at times.....

This is a picture of my Mom, my older sister, and me - all dressed in our same little outfits. Not sure of the date when this was taken. I got a copy of it when I made my last trip to Ohio two years ago. I love looking at it! My sister has always been such a ham in pictures, while I tend to hang back, smiling lightly. I don't like having my picture taken as an adult - and I don't think (from looking at this picture) that I liked having it taken when I was younger - LOL! But I still find this photo of the three of us a treasured keepsake....

And the battle is on! Me Against the Squirrels!!

It is my own fault. I have no one to blame but me. I've been feeding the squirrels for years and years and years! Also feeding the birds. At first, it was okay - they all got a share. But lately the squirrels are just taking over - eating from not only the bowls I put out for them, but from the feeders also. The poor birdies barely get anything to eat and I can't even watch them anymore because the squirrels are constantly scaring them off. So three days ago, I decided to stop feeding the squirrels. I'm now $35.00 poorer - trying to find a feeder they will stay out of and that the cardinals will eat from. We've tried all kinds of tricks, but the squirrels always figure the puzzle out and are back to hanging from the feeders, eating away. I've not given up yet!! I am throwing out bread and crackers into the yard so the squirrels have something to munch on. Otherwise I'd feel too cruel. Have you ever had a squirrel sit their looking at you with their little paws crossed under their chins and a puzzled, hurt look on their faces! Arghhh!

Show and Tell....

I love crayons! I remember the excitement as a young girl when I would get a fresh new box - the one with the sharpener. The only problem - I never wanted to use them, because once you did, they were never the same again. Even if you sharpened them to a new point, they were no longer new and pristine. This is a box of crayons that I found in an antique shop years ago. The shop keeper didn't know what year they were actually made. The box says "No. 336 Crayola Drawing Crayon - Sixteen Colors". Then it says - Gold Medal and Made in U.S.A. Binney & Smith Inc., New York. I would love to know more about them. As soon as I saw them, I knew they HAD to come home with me. O.K., I just googled Binney & Smith and this is part of what I read: The first Crayola crayons were made in 16 colors; the eight-stick box sold for five cents and the 16-stick box sold for ten cents. Crayola Rubens crayons for art students and Perma Pressed fine-art crayons that could be sharpened were added to the product line. A new Crayola 48-stick box introduced in 1949 featured new colors, such as bittersweet, burnt sienna, periwinkle, and prussian blue. Nine years later, prussian blue was renamed midnight blue in response to teachers' observations that students were no longer familiar with Prussian history. (Note: The small p was an intentional grammatical error to keep the word consistent with the way all Crayola crayon names appeared on labels. Tests had shown that words written in lowercase letters were easiest for elementary school children to read.) By 1955 B&S had placed some 464 different items on the market.

I can't remember what I paid for these at the antique shop, but it was much more than 10 cents - LOL!

Heidi - my blog

Heidi,

I'll respond to your comments in a post to make it easier for you to see my answers! Thanks for looking at my blog. I mentioned it at CHL awhile back.

I would love to have a book I saw yesterday at my LNS - it is Quaker School Girl Samplers by Ackworth - but it was $65.00. I couldn't get it then, but hope to soon! I'm currently working on the Rebecca Ackworth sampler and the Quaker Christmas one by Bygone Stitches. I'm also doing one with the last name of Scholl on it. And I have several others going. I adore them! The one I started yesterday - the Ackworth one - is 34 by 29 (the fabric)! I work on 28 count. I have never ever worked on a piece this big - it is very clutzy!

The "quilt" piece on the chair is actually a pillow sham! I put it on the chair to sort of dress up an ugly office chair.

I have two Ohio samplers so far - the one I've started on - the other one I need fabric for. It is actually the one you got from the lady. Jan from Maryland got me one and sent it to me as a RAOK. Wasn't that sweet of her! She also sent me all the threads for it.

I only have the one cat right now. Plus I take care of an outside one. I've always taken care of outside cats for years. No idea who they belong to, or if they belong to anyone.... We've even taken some of them to the vet from time to time if they got in a fight or were sick in some way.

Linda

Ahhhh - some heat!

My Mommie keeps the house too cold, so I depend on her to turn my light on so I can get warm in my favorite spot! This used to be a spot that my sissy and I used to fight over, but now that little vixen is gone to kittie heaven, it is all mine!! Mine I tell ya!

Quaker Samplers....

I adore Quaker samplers. They touch my heart and soul , and calm me while I'm stitching them. I have 4 of them started already (this one in the picture is yet to be in my collection, but one day...). And I have several more in my "stash" to stitch in the future. And I know I will be buying many more to come. I love them!

Show and Tell....

This is just a small portion of my button collection. I found all of them in three antique stores - two of which I know for sure are no longer around - much to my sadness. The other place may still be there - I haven't gone over in awhile, but need to rectify that. I love to sit and look through all my tins and jars of buttons of all types - and just imagine what their history is - whose hands buttoned them each day - year after year - on their way to make breakfast, or to soothe a baby's cry - or to go off to work. I use them in some of my crafting items - I love to use them on my cross-stitch items. But for the most part, I like just having them in my tins and jars - just waiting for me to look at again and wonder....

Here is my latest finish. It says Salem 1692. I loved the fabric I chose - Crossed Wings linen called "Sand". I decided to coffee dye the orange lettering in order to tone the orange down a bit. However, in the process, for various reasons, (one being I'm an idiot) - I had to coffee stain the whole piece - and therefore anniliated the fabric that I liked so much! LOL! Oh well, it still looks nice and I know the recipient will enjoy it!

My Six-Word Memoir

This is another "meme" that is going around. You are supposed to write your memoir in six words....

"She pines for Ohio and family"

From house to "HOUSE"

this house! Sixty miles round trip, but an enjoyable time. I played hookie from work today and drove over to Woodlawn Plantation for the yearly needlework show. They hold it there the entire month of March. It went from being a huge needlework show, for years, with lots of entries from all over the world, to "not so much"over the past 5 or 6 years. I did enjoy the samplers that were in the main room, and I saw some other things that drew my attention. But I was basically done with looking and shopping in the gift shop within 15 minutes. I spent some time talking with a lady upstairs that was doing a quilting demonstration. I wandered around the front of the house - the grounds around the entire place are so beautiful and quiet. You can almost hear the ghosts of carriage wheels creaking and ladies big dresses rustling. It overlooks Mount Vernon. When I was upstairs, I looked out the front windows and saw the top of it, and the Potomac River beyond. I was kicking myself for not bringing my camera - oh well, I'll go back another day. After leaving there, I went a block down the road and went into a needlework shop and caused my wallet some more destruction - ha! I ran into a woman I had talked to while looking at the needlework show - she had come over to the needlework shop also - and we stood there chatting for quite awhile. Then I got some french fries and coke at MacDonalds to refresh me and then took off for the drive home! All in all, a nice day off!

Seven Things About Me....

1. I have one older sister and two younger brothers. The youngest brother and I were born two days apart - well, and eleven years in between. He used to call me La La when he was little - he couldn't pronounce Linda....

2. I usually have 12 or more books started at the same time....

3. Besides reading, I love to cross-stitch and I also enjoy knitting. And of course, yes, I usually have many cross-stitch projects started.... well, only about 20 or so....

4. I moved from Ohio to Virginia in 1974. I've basically been homesick ever since....

5. When I was in high school, I used to work at Kresges. I think I only stayed there a year or so - part-time of course. I had to always make sure my schoolwork was done. That was a condition of working there (per my parents). When I first started, I worked behind the candy counter. And then I was promoted to work on the cash register - taking care of the customers who were buying items... I actually had a customer teach me how to "count back the money". Remember when they used to do that - not anymore these days - it just gets plopped right into your hand!

6. I once hugged a total stranger (his girlfriend was not too pleased). The reason - - I was at a haunted house and a mummy was trying to "get me". So I wanted this total stranger to save me! And he did - LOL!

7. One year, while driving over 500 miles to Ohio - to visit with my family, I was stung by a bee that flew in my window....I was out in the middle of the mountains - 80 miles from a town....

The Years Go So Quickly.....

Happy 80th birthday to my Mommy!

Book Spotlight....

I'm on Page 85 of this book and am really really liking it. I read this author's non-fiction book years ago. It is called "The Victoria's Secret Catalog Never Stops Coming: And Other Lessons I Learned from Breast Cancer. This book "The Last Beach Bungalow" is her first fiction book. She has written two other non-fiction ones.

First line: There's something oddly comforting about doctors' waiting rooms.

After five years cancer-free, April Newton should be celebrating, but instead she's restless. She feels her husband slipping away, and though the spectacular, stylish house he's building for her should be a fresh start, April finds herself wanting something more. As their move-in date approaches, she becomes obsessed with winning the right to buy the last bungalow in Redondo Beach, convinced that the quirky, lived-in little house represents everything she is missing in her life - comfort, completeness, survival. And though her quest for the bungalow wll take some surprising twists, it may put back together the pieces of her heart....

Friday Four....

My husband's second eye surgery went well on Tuesday - we got in early - that was an added bonus!

Because of being off with him, I had two days away from work - that, as Martha would say - is a good thing....

I visited two cross-stitch places in this last week and came home with some nice "stash". I've busily been stitching as much as I can....

I'm feeling better - still a bit of a cough - but overall, much more like normal!

Book Spotlight

I'm on Page 67 of this book and am settling into the story - weighing all the ins and outs of what is going on. This book is based on the author's true story.

First line: It is possible, after all, for someone to vanish off the face of the earth.

"With her unrelenting tale of a husband who vanishes in what may be an accident, a suicide, or a scheme to flee his wife and his life, Emily Listfield leads us by the hand into the dark waters of an unresolved marriage. Waiting to Surface forces us to grapple with doubts that swirl beneath the assumptions that comprise our lives: If we do not know the one we love, do we truly know ourselves? The answer will leave you breathless".

Show and Tell!

This is what $97.00 looks like! I added to my "stash" pile on Saturday. (click on the picture to make it bigger and you can see more details of the "stash") I drove over to a needlework shop that is about 45 minutes each way. I never feel like I spend enough time there after that long drive. But since I managed to do enough damage to my wallet in less than 10 minutes, it is good that I didn't spend more time there! I wanted to get a couple of things that would be a bit more challenging or interesting to work on - so I got a sampler called The Village of Hawk Run Hollow. It is supposed to be an entire village - with churches and houses and shops and cemeteries. I love it and can't wait to get the fabric to start on it. I also got one that many other people are working on - it is called A Quaker Christmas by Bygone Stitches. I kept falling in like with this one and then in love with it and knew I had to do it! I also got a multiplication sampler that is a bit different from others I've seen. I love doing these samplers! And I got 3 other smaller charts to work on - well, sometime. I figure by the time I get Hawk Run Hollow done, I'll be a 100! LOL!