Wednesday, June 15, 2016

June Gifted Gorgeousness...

Has a month passed since the last Gifted Gorgeousness update?  I swear the older I get the faster time goes.  In some ways its good that things I'm looking forward to are getting here quicker, but in some ways it's like my life is going by in a flash....either way, it's been a good ride so far!

First off, I have a few items to show you for the gifted gorgeousness challenge that is going on over at Serendipitous Stitching.  If you are interested in signing up, I think you can join up at any time but you can find the rules here.  And if you want to see what everyone is posting, you can visit the homepage of her blog here.  Thank you, Jo, for all your hard work in keeping track of us!  This challenge has kept me on the straight and narrow, I'm thankful for the gentle push for keeping up with my goals.

So...lets see...I'm falling behind in the goals I set for myself, but I've been getting other stuff done...so I guess it's still all good!  

First off I finished up two more Advent Calendar numbers which are freebies designed by Ellen Maher Stroh being offered on the EMS board that can be found here..




I also finished up the SAL that was being offered by Carole over on her blog that can be found here....



I finished up the front panel of the Needlework Casket I've been working on.  This book with the pattern was given to me by a friend who knew I wanted to stitch the casket.  Only three more panels go to!!






I finished a Round Robin from this year that finally made its way back to me.  I finished the squares that weren't stitched by the others in the SAL and added the charms, buttons, and beads...and finally....framed it!  Thank you to all those who stitched on it!



I stitched up this freebie designed by Beth Twist that I found on this blog, I believe the pattern is still available...



I also made these....these are both the same pattern, one stitched over two on 45 count fabric, and the other stitched on 36 ct. fabric over one.  I am participating in an exchange and decided the first was too big...so I stitched it smaller.  Hopefully by next post I'll have a picture of the finished project!  This was a free pattern by Ellen Maher Stroh offered on the same site as the Advent Calendar pieces above.



 

 I stitched up this pattern Nantucket Summer by Plum Street Samplers as a gift for a friend's birthday.  I have it pictured in the post below in a frame.  She loved it!!



I believe that's all that qualifies for the Gifted Gorgeousness.  Thank you again, Jo, for hosting this challenge.  I've really enjoyed searching for all those things I've been given that I've set aside....it's time they saw the light of day!!

I also finished stitching these patterns, the first is Quaker Diamond Sampler by Hillside Samplings, it's stitched on 40 ct, over two.  I'll be looking for a frame for this soon, I just love the way it looks!



I finished May by Country Cottage Needleworks, and I'm still a month behind!!



And lastly I'm working on Needleworker by Little House Needleworks.  This is done on 32 Ct. over one using the recommended GAST threads.  I think I'll use this around a basket when I'm finished.



And that...as they say....is that!  I have a lot of stuff coming up in the next few weeks, I sure hope I find time to stitch!  My son turns 21 on Father's Day...my piggy bank has seen better days!  LOL  It should be a fun day...and I'll have pictures in an update afterward!  I'm also looking forward to a couple of trips...one at the end of June, the other the end of July.  My poor van sure has seen a lot of this country lately!  Happy Stitching everybody!!


 

 

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Great music and a lot of fun!

Time just flew by, and the concert just snuck up on us!  My son bought tickets for us for the Luke Bryan concert last weekend in February.  Wow...did the time go by fast!?!?!  Little did we know when we bought the tickets that it would turn out to be the day after Luke won at the CMA awards!  It was a lot of fun crowd watching, dancing to the music, and singing along....I do like the venue (Jiffy Lube Live) in Virginia.  It's always fun tagging along with my guys...even if it was 99 degrees and it's an outside venue...whew even the folks on stage complained of the heat!!

Here are a few pictures...the show opened with Dustin Lynch...




Then came Little Big Town...I REALLY enjoyed their music...





Last came Luke Bryan...






and he included the other acts toward the end of his show...







I thought that was really classy of him!  He also ... off the cuff ... sang our national anthem a cappella with the audience joining in.  I have to say, it gave me shivers to see thousands of people standing, hand over heart, singing The Star Spangled Banner...  He started to say he had respect for our service men and women, when a U-S-A chant began.  When he realized what we were chanting, he began singing...it literally brought tears to my eyes.  I love my country, and it is disheartening when you hear people from other countries bashing us.  Especially people who come here from other countries, gain citizenship, and then say how great the country they came from was and belittle ours.  They enjoy our benefits, and then bash us...I wish they would just go back to where they came from when they do that!!  I find it so offensive!!   When I think of the young men and women (and because my husband served over 20 years in the military I've known a lot of them) who selflessly gave their lives in pursuit of our freedoms, I can't help feeling angry when you hear disparaging words from foreign born imbeciles.  Anyway, it's a great feeling to know there are still patriots here among us in our homeland.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Framing Day!

Well, it's been pretty quiet at DJ's Digs for the past couple of weeks.  I've been busy catching up on some stitching...for gifts and Round Robins and such.  The other day I found some lovely frames on sale at Hobby Lobby....and couldn't resist picking some up.  I have to be in the "mood" to frame, and I guess today was the day!  So without further ado, I'll let you take a peek at what I've been framing...some of which you've seen that I finished, and some will be new...

I've recently finished up two Round Robins...One from 2015, and one from 2014.  Thankfully they were close enough to standard sizes that I was able to pick up stock frames and...here is the result...





I finally got my cousins pieces framed...my favorite is the bird with the violets...I might have to make one of these for myself one day....though I do like them both...




I finally figured out what to do with Betty Boop...and I'm hoping my friend's mother will enjoy looking at her...

And last, but not least, is a piece for a friend's birthday that is coming up soon.  I have enough fabric and floss to make this for myself too....so when I get a chance, I'll be making one for myself!



I'll be back in a week or so with my Gifted Gorgeousness update...stay tuned!