It has been hit and miss with me lately. With all that has been going on it's been hard to find time to get any stitching done. I'm way behind in the Linen and Threads SAL so I'm not going to show pictures until I catch up.
Thankfully I've been able to catch up in the Tempting Tangles SALs I'm participating in. First off is This Corner of Earth. We have just finished part 12
Second is Wildflower Woodland Quaker which I am finding so much fun, even though I don't like the alphabet...haha and I just love that little owl!!
Last is Springtime Easter Delight and I have finished the first three parts of this one and the Wildflower shown above. Just waiting for the next part of the pattern. I love the colors in this one!!
A lady from our former church commented that she had been to an ornament exchange party last year and tried to get one of the three ornaments I had made but couldn't win them in the game they were playing. I hate to see anyone go without...especially after stroking me ego saying she really wanted one of my homemade ornaments. So I made one this week and got it together for her. While I was putting the ornament together, I decided to do a tutorial. I'm new at this, and it probably isn't very well described, but you can find my ramblings and pictures in one of the tabs at the top of this page if you are interested in finishing an ornament like mine. I used "design a button" plastic molds I found at Hobby Lobby and I have found them in two sizes. I used the larger size for "Snow Love" by Country Cottage Needleworks stitched on 32 count fabric. Some of the design had to be folded to the back, but I like the way it came out. Here is her ornament.
My partner for the Halloween exchange finally received her package so I can now show you the ornament and goodies I sent her.
I received my package from Gwen also, and I was really spoiled. What fun this exchange was...thank you Gwen!! And thank you Mouse at Friendly Stitchers for organizing the fun!
Speaking of Mouse, she sent me a birthday/Christmas package which is always such a fun gift to get! I love the patterns and the fabric is so much prettier than the picture shows.
Thank you ladies for spoiling me! And I'm off until next time, hopefully with an updated picture of Linen and Threads! Happy Stitching!
I want to thank those who have phoned, messaged and prayed for our dear, sweet, Katie and let you know that she is finally at rest. She went peacefully in her sleep Thursday, Oct 19th surrounded by her Mom, Dad and Ben. While we had been praying for healing, we knew that if the Lord chose to take her, the best we could hope for her and her family is that she would fall asleep peacefully, and the Lord answered that prayer.
The last few weeks have been pure chaos with evenings spent at the hospital trying to make the family comfortable, making sure everyone took care of themselves, helping with fund raisers, keeping friends and family updated, spending little snippets of time with Katie when she felt up to it, and then final arrangements. Katie touched so many lives with her lively personality. She was very reserved when you first met her, but she was a character once she knew you. Even cracking jokes up until the night before she passed. Her funeral was amazing, with so many people, family, friends, nurses, doctors, former high school teachers and principles, co-workers and church family attending. We learned so much about her, her wonderful character, her giving spirit, and her love for others. She truly was a treasure. We are going to miss her so much. Rest in peace, Katie, until we meet again.
I guess it's a good thing I had this give away on my Birthday,
because in all the craziness that is going on in my life, I knew someone
would remind me I'm getting old....and that I would remember to pick a
name.
Congratulations, Jo who can't think of
a clever nickname, you are the winner!! I have sent off an email
requesting your real name and address, and as soon as I get a minute,
I'll get your fob in the mail.
If you haven't signed up for the Breast Cancer Awareness giveaway, there is still time. Just comment on the post http://tickledpinkinstitches.blogspot.com/2017/10/its-octobertime-for-bca-giveaway.html and you'll be entered. And PLEASE don't forget to get yourself checked! Those who love you will thank you!
I did a little more finishing yesterday...just needed to keep my hands busy...so took one of them up for Katie to decorate her room. Her mom thought I should have put a beard on the snowman so he would look like Ben...haha
I'll be back at the end of the month for the BCA Fob Giveaway...stay tuned...
What a crazy month this has been. There is a lot to share so I'm going to get right to it...
First off, let's start with the Gifted Gorgeousness. This is where we showcase things we've stitched that was either gifted to us (meaning the chart, fabric or floss) or something we are going to gift to others. I love this Challenge that Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching started. It gives me incentive to look for things to stitch, and to acknowledge what others have given to me. It's a way for me to say thank you! You can sign up for this challenge here and it's never to late to join in the fun. If you want to see the links and see what others are stitching, you can find it here. Make sure you say hello to Jo while you're there!
I have been stitching up a storm since the last time I posted. I'm getting ready for some exchanges and I don't think most of them view my blog. So I'm going to post all the Christmas ones, because I know they don't, and I will only post the back of the Halloween one until I know she has received it. It's in the mail now, I really hope she likes it because I was tempted to keep it myself!! LOL
Here is the Halloween one....I'll show the front once she has received it. I found this pattern a few years ago and saved it. It was a freebie, but I unfortunately didn't save the site I found it on...and now I can't find it. I've been asked by several so if you find the link (I think it was a Japanese site) please leave the website in a comment so others can find it. Thank you so much!
The next few ornaments came from the 2018 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue. I loved stitching these, and even had fun making them into ornaments.
This one is from "My favorite things" by Sue Hillis. The fabric it is pictured on is the fabric I used to back it.
This one is a Told in a Garden Angel, I think it's 2005. This is a gift for a friend from college. I really need to get more finishing done!!
I made two of these...one on 40 ct. and one on 32 count. Each will be made into a tea cup pincushion. This was a free pattern from Just Nan called Christmas Hearts. I have finished the smaller one into the teacup. I didn't have small enough beads so I used french knots instead. UGH!! Thankfully I didn't have too much trouble with them.
My husband knows how much I love a good mystery SAL, so for my birthday he signed me up for 3 of them from Tempting Tangles. I have really enjoyed stitching on these. First of is This Corner of Earth. We are already on part 11.
The second is Wildflower Woodland Quaker Mystery and we are on Part 2.
The third and last is Springtime Easter Delight Mystery. They can all be found on Tempting Tangles Etsy site. And they are all only $5.00 until they are finished. Quite a bargain if you ask me!!
I've been working on the 12 Berries of Christmas that Erica Michaels designed. I had the first three done and then decided I would do number 12 next. So here is 12 Drummers Drumming.
I have stitched this before, but made a couple more for exchange pieces. This is one of the 4 designs in Christmas Basket by The Drawn Thread.
I stitched this with the intention of making a pin pillow for a Halloween exchange but never got the time to finish it before it was time to send out my package. I will finish it eventually but I might just keep it for myself...haha This was a freebie pattern, but I can't recall right now where I found it.
This one is also for an exchange I'm doing. This is Main Street Depot from the Hometown Series from Little House Needleworks.
Quite some time ago, a lady I've met in our local LNS and have stitched with a time or two was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. A group of us got together and stitched her some quilt squares. She was presented with the quilt last week, so now I'm able to show you our handiwork, and I can show you the quilt square I stitched. You may know her as the Stitcherista, or perhaps Danielle. Here is her quilt. I am sure it means as much to her as mine did to me while I was in the fight. I hope it brings you comfort and healing. Get well, quick, Danielle!
I'm going to finish with this piece. This is a pattern that I changed a wee bit to make it look like my son, Ben and his fiance, Katie. I think he said he found it on reddit. He asked me to make one for him and Katie as a "just because" gift. I didn't know, when I was stitching it, that it would probably be one of the last gifts he would give his Love.
You see, Katie has Cystic Fibrosis and she is in the final stage. I got this framed for her the day before yesterday and we took it to her in the hospital. That was when they told us that she only has a few days left with us. But she loved it, and has it sitting where she can see it from her bed. The date on it is the day they officially started dating. They were to be married in April next year. Our hearts are breaking for Katie and Ben and her friends and family. We've been spending a lot of time at the hospital, so it's been hard to email or keep up with things here in cyber land. I'm writing this in the wee hours of the morning because we got back from the hospital after midnight and I found I couldn't sleep. If you are inclined, please pray for these two and their friends and family. Katie is a special lady, she touched a lot of lives. She is a fighter but she is weary....and we are going to miss her like crazy.
It's October...and you know what that means! Time for a little PSA and another giveaway! So....here goes...
A little over 7 years ago, I went in for my annual mammogram. Nothing seemed unusual until about a week later when I got a call that they needed to do another mammogram. I didn't share with anyone that I got a call back. I didn't really think too much about it. But then it seemed like the never ending appointment, with three calls back to the scanner for another look. It was a day that changed my life...they found I had breast cancer. While they caught it early, it turned out to be stage II with lymph node involvement. I never had breast cancer in my family. I didn't smoke, drink, or have any other high risk activities that have been known to cause breast cancer. It totally came out of the blue. I'm saying all this so that you will give yourself exams, and get those mammograms as soon as you are eligible. Those who love and care for you are depending on you to take care of yourself. Life would be so different for them without you.
If you aren't sure how to do a breast exam, here is a step by step description. http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam/bse_steps
I learned a lot through that experience. It changed my life in good ways, so though it was a tough road to walk, I learned a lot about myself and I came out the other side with a different perspective on life. It drew my husband, son and I a lot closer together. I learned I was tougher than I thought I was, and that life is uncertain so enjoy the ride for as long as you can.
Having said all that, I'm offering a give away of one of the scissor fobs shown above. PLEASE share this post with other women and encourage one another to get those annual exams. Those who love you will thank you for taking care of yourself!! And if you would like to win one of these, please comment below and I'll have a drawing at the end of the month. And if you are wondering, it's been 7 years and no sign of the cancer returning. I'm grateful...and I hope none of you ever have to experience it, but if you do, I hope you find it early like I did.
