Super Saturday!

Hello Fellow Stitchers!

Well, here we are, it's February already.  Is it me, or does time seem to be flying by this year?  I feel like I'm on a treadmill at high speed, and I'm doing all I can do to keep up.  I keep saying I need to start now to get my house in order for my son's graduation in May.  At first I was half kidding, but now I see I may have been prophetic!!

I'm calling today Super Saturday because it's the day before the Super Bowl.  Now normally I'm not a football enthusiast but something different happened this year.  Last year at this time, Tyler was fighting for his life against the disease Leukemia.  He made a prediction that the Ravens would make it to the Super Bowl and asked the Make a Wish Foundation for tickets to the Super Bowl for himself and his best friend Brandon.  The day before he died, his wish was granted, he was going to get tickets for this years game.  Against all odds, the Ravens have made it to the Super Bowl and those of us who knew and loved Tyler have been cheering the team and getting chills that Tyler's dream is being played out.  If only Tyler could have been here to see his beloved Ravens play.  So it's bitter sweet.  But since I've been following the team this year, this game will be an exciting one for my family.  Astrid and her family invited us to watch the game with them.  Their favorite team didn't make it to the Super Bowl, and have been calling the Ravens the "Dirty Birds"...but when all is said and done, I know that those of us who knew and loved Tyler will be watching with a great deal of cheering!  GO RAVENS!!  Both the Ravens stadium and the Orioles stadium are a block apart on Russel Street in Baltimore.  Hence the picture of the Muscle on Russel Street.

So...I had a busy week, but decided I needed to revamp my stitching practices.  So...I started stitching on something different every day and hopefully the pile of WIPs I have floating around my room will dwindle.  The good news is that I was able to finish something I started nearly two years ago for someone who has been patiently waiting and I also made some progress on a few different ones. 

My finish is for a friend Dixie who I learned is a Breast Cancer Survivor like myself.  She and I met shortly after my son was born in Arizona.  She moved to Maryland before we did and we lost touch until a few years ago.  We later became friends on Facebook and she saw a picture of this piece I had made for a friend back in 2010.  I promised I would make her one.  This is Hope Blooms from Glendon Place.  I have since looked for another pattern for a give away last October and couldn't find it.  One of these days I hope to make this for myself...I just love this pattern!!  So, Dixie, I hope you will enjoy this piece for many years to come!  You are MY hope that I can remain cancer free for many years myself!!

I've been working on Winter's Majesty, but not making the same progress as I have, since I added other patterns into my rotation.  It's hard putting a piece of this size down for any length of time as I forget where I was and what I was working on.  Still, I just LOVE this piece!!

I picked up a WIP from last year that I really love.  I wish the picture showed the color of the fabric better.  I've tried but just can't seem to capture the color.  Anyway, I call this my traveling pattern because it's a convenient size to carry around.  Here is Matter's Choice from Carriage House Samplings.

I fell in love with this Heaven and Earth Design piece called The Little Drummer Boy stocking that I saw being stitched on The Stamper's Stitches blog.  I finally found the pattern on sale on the HEAD website and got started on it in January.  I love the way Tricia is working on hers, mine looks more like a hodge podge than a picture, but if you take a trip over to Tricia's blog you'll see what mine should look like!  LOL  Here is my feeble attempt.

Last is Friendship Blooms from Blue Ribbon Designs.  Mouse and Babs have been stitching this on Tuesdays with me.  I'm afraid I have far too much time on my hands as I seem to be a wee bit ahead of them.  Don't worry ladies, you'll have time to catch up, things are getting busier here at DJ's Digs.

So...for those of you who have followed my little saga for the past couple of years, just a little side note here.  I had a scare a few weeks back when I started having symptoms of another type of cancer.  A sonogram followed by a biopsy later determined there is nothing to worry about, but I may be having a few procedures to clear up some stuff that is happening.  I had to stop taking the Tamoxifen due to some side effects so now must take other steps to keep myself free of cancer.  So...if I disappear for a wee bit, not to worry.  I am still cancer free, just need a little maintenance to keep myself that way!  

For those watching the Super Bowl tomorrow, have a great day!  For Ravens fans, I'll be cheering with you!  I'm sure I'll be crying at the end no matter what happens as we remember our friend Tyler and how he loved the Ravens!  See you tomorrow Astrid!  Can't wait!