Yippee!

I finally received a letter from my DS/20 who is in Basic Combat Training for the Army!! He's been there since Sept. 18th. He's doing okay. I'm sure he'll be fine, but it was still a relief to hear from him.

I have stitched on Gathering Honey a bit, and have made some progress.

Also, my Bunko night was last night. We dressed in costumes. I was a tiger. The best costume winner was actually a tie between two ladies who had the same costume. They were designed and made by one of the two ladies. Instead of the Spice Girls, they were "The Dice Girls"! They had on black tops and pants with large dice appliqued on them. They had square hats that were also dice. All the costumes were great, but these were especially original and creative. Hopefully, I can share some pics soon.

DH will be performing at the National Shrimpfest in Gulf Shores, AL, this Thursday and Friday. You can get more info here....

Last, but certainly not least, today my husband and I have been married 15 years. I look forward to the rest of our lives together.

I Can't Breathe

My DS/20 has joined the ARMY and leaves for Basic Combat Training on Monday. It was a shock to us, since he hasn't mentioned doing it for several years, and now, he's in for over 4 years. I catch myself not breathing. I think it's called Stress! I am proud of him, though. He will be at Basic for 9 weeks, plus 6 1/2 weeks of AIT , so we won't see him again until right before Christmas. Then he'll go to Airborne training and Ranger training. I have been, and will be, doing a lot of praying.

Progressing on Gathering Honey

Finally, a progress pic of Gathering Honey! I've stitched the bottom inside portion of the "frame", the bottom portion of the verse, 1 bee, and the start of the leaves and strawberries. I've only backstitched the bee and the center section of the "frame". I know several of you are stitching this pattern, also, but you won't be able to get an accurate feel for the time it takes to actually stitch this by my progress. I have put it down several times, and not stitched at all for weeks. I have really enjoyed stitching it so far.

Some of the reasons my blogging and stitching has been sporadic of late....

We are having a lot of life changes in my family at the moment.
I've been visiting a loved one in the hospital regularly.
I'm looking for a job, (one with an actual paycheck)
I'm trying to find a place for my mom to live
We need to complete a few large projects around the house
Still de-cluttering and simplifying

...to name a few.

DH is on the road again with the band. He'll post some pics probably by tomorrow. Check it out.

More Info on Rose Garden pattern

Blissxstitches, asked about the pattern, Rose Garden. It appeared in the Sept/Oct. 1989 issue of Cross Stitch & Country Crafts magazine. This magazine is out of print, but you may can find it on Ebay. The pattern was also reprinted in 1991 by Better Homes & Gardens. One place I found it available is Craft Stop online.

Rose Garden in Paradise

I am very excited to know that Trish, Just Another Stitch in Paradise, is stitching the companion piece to Gathering Honey. It's called Rose Garden and it's from Cross Stitch and Country Craft Magazine. I plan to cross stitch it after I complete Gathering Honey. Her stitching is gorgeous! Take a look!

Wedding in CA

My DD/24, who married in April, was in one of her bridemaid's wedding this past weekend. It was in Los Angeles, CA, on the beach. Here's a pic of the lovely bride with my daughter.

Cousins Everywhere!

Cousins: Back row - Denise, Teresa
Front row - Donna , Me, Cyndi

We are back home from our family reunion at Pickwick Landing State Park in Tennessee. It has been 15 years since the last one. We really enjoyed visiting with our extended family. The weather was cool and breezy. Family from Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee came to the picnic. We remembered those who were no longer with us and memories of times gone by. It was great! Hopefully, we'll have one again next year. Here's the link to the few photos we took during the weekend.

It was also my 9 year old's first time to go tubing and he was ecstatic!

Got any Recipes?

We are having a family reunion this weekend and I'd like to take a dish to share. If you have a recipe you'd like to share (one that can handle a 2 hr. roadtrip), please share it. It is over 100 degrees here, so I'd rather not cook a lot of hot items. It's been 15 years since our last reunion, so it will be good to see everyone again.

No update on Gathering Honey. I have another project (a house rehab) that is a priority at the moment. I do plan to steal a few moments to stitch very soon.

Here's a photo of a quilt my daughter received from her great-grandmother. Aren't the colors yummy?!

My Little Swimmer

DS/9 had his 3 year of swim lessons last week. He did really well. It was his first time for group lessons. Now, he can swim underwater and jump off the diving board. He was taught about boat safety and water safety, too. I enjoyed seeing how the children were encouraged and motivated to learn. My "dream home" definitely would have a pool!

Go, Cardinals!

We took a mini-vacation to St. Louis and today we saw the Cardinals win at the New Busch Stadium! We arrrived this past Friday. We've visited the City Museum, The Arch, Busch Stadium, rode the Metro, and ate at Ozzie Smith's Restaurant. At Ozzie's, we met one of the few living "Munchkins" from the Wizard of Oz. Mickey Carroll was the Munckin that led the others, with a fiddle, and told Dorothy to "Follow the Yellow Brick Road." (He's the 2nd from the left)









Tomorrow we will visit the St. Louis Science Center. So far, it's been a great trip and a great Father's Day. Happy Father's Day, honey!

You can see more pics of our trip here.

Puppet No. 2

I caved and made another puppet for my DS/9. It's a knight from the same pattern as the wizard, Butterick 3230. It wasn't too hard to make, just tricky with the slippery fabrics! Here's a pic of the duo, ummm, trio.

Whirlwind Weekend

We had company from out-of-town this past weekend through today. It was a blast! More on our adventures here.

While I didn't get any cross-stitching time in, I did get to stitch. I sewed a puppet for my son in a 5 hour sewing session! He was very persistent about me making it and was a very happy camper when it was complete!

The puppet was made from Butterick #3230. The blue fabric, beads, trim, and some of the felt, was in my stash. All I bought was the white felt with metallic flecks used for his beard, hair and mustache. It cost me under a $1 to make since I already had the pattern and most of the supplies!

Now, he is wanting me to make the others, but he'll have to wait until I can set aside another 5 hour block to sew the next one. Who knows when that will be!

I'm Still Here!

I haven't had one moment to stitch this week because of VBS. It's been a great experience. You can see photos here. I will be adding more photos to this series as I take them.

Also, you can see my daughter's wedding photos here.

Hopefully, I'll be stitching again this weekend. I've really enjoyed reading everyone's stitching blogs. It keeps me inspired.

VBS Prep

My church's VBS is in June and we had a "workday" on Tuesday. The theme is Son Treasure Island. I am responsible for making the blowfish, the 5 medallions, palm trees, etc. We used an overhead projector to trace the items that had transparencies. We didn't have any foam core board, so I'll have to buy some or improvise. The blowfish are made of a painted 6 inch styrofoam ball with pipecleaners stuck in it. Then large wiggle eyes are added. You can see the brown and green blowfish in the underwater photo and the medallions are in the other. I'll share photos of the ones we make when they are done. (These are the samples).

Cutting the Cake!

Here is a photo of my daughter and her new husband cutting the wedding cake. Her initials were on the side of the bride's cake and his initials were on his groom's cake. This was the first time I had seen this done and I thought it was a neat idea. The theme of the wedding was Tiffany blue and ivory. The cake was square to mimic the Tiffany and Co. box.

Her bridesmaids wore Tiffany blue dresses with ivory sashes. She had 6 bridesmaids, but only three are pictured.
When I get more photos, I'll put them in an album and link them at the sidebar. Presently, the newlyweds are in Jamaica on their honeymoon.

I've been busy moving 2 rooms of furniture and "stuff" so that new carpet could be installed. We hope to sell our home soon, but we have some repairs to do first. I will try to squeeze in some stitching, though, just for my sanity!

I have a new son!

Yep! My daughter is now a married woman and I have a new son! We love him and I know they will make a great couple. The wedding was beautiful and she was a lovely bride. I will post photos as soon as I can. The video we did for them was well received, also. That was a relief. I'll share more later.

Wedding Preparations

Sorry for no updates lately. We all been busy with my DD/24's wedding preparations. We've met with the coordinator, so I have more direction on what I need to do. I finally got a chance to look for a mother-of-the-bride dress and rehearsal dinner outfit. I did that yesterday. Mission accomplished. We are coming along on the video that will be shown at the reception. Also, I am making the programs. The little ribbon bows for the bubbles will be finished over the weekend. I will still need to buy the food and drinks for the groom's and bride's rooms. That's some of what's kept me from blogging regularly.

On another note, I'm also trying to find my mom another apartment. In addition to that, our renter moved with no notice, so now we are scrambling to put that house up for sale (after giving it some paint, carpet, and repairs, of course.)

We'd planned earlier to move this summer, but now we don't know how likely that will be with so many changes taking place. (DH is on a 19% pay-cut and I will be going back to work soon after being a stay-at-home mom for 11 years).

I will try to get back on track with my blog and stitching as soon as the wedding is behind us, which is April 29th.

Ta-Da! Stitching Progress!

All of the center garden of Gathering Honey is completely stitched. Go me! Now, on to the honeycone border and flowers. I am still enjoying this design. If any of you are considering stitching this design at some point, don't let my lengthy stitching time lead you to think it is a difficult design. I just haven't worked on it consistently. I probably could have finished it months ago had I worked on it steadily.

Unfortunately, my DD has told me she isn't really into cross stitch. While that blew a hole into me stitching a wedding sampler, it did free up time for me to help her prepare for her wedding day. I actually found something I think I may stitch after the wedding, but I can't share it here because she reads my blog. I actually found the project on one of the cross stitch BBs. After the wedding is behind us, I'll share more on that.

My New "Toy"

It's been too long since I last blogged! My DD/24 is getting married April 29th, so I've been addressing invitations the last few days. We will be making the programs soon, and I'm looking forward to that. I'll share a photo when we get them done. DD/24 and her fiance's new home is finished, and it's beautiful. Everything is going great for them! I'm so happy for them both.

Now, for my new "Toy".....I traded my '94 Nissan Quest van for a '03 Toyota Corolla! It's quite a change, but I'm looking forward to the better gas mileage! It's a lot of fun to drive, too!

As for stitching, I cross stitched two rows of plants in the upper right hand corner of Gathering Honey. I'll share a photo soon.

Current WIP

Thanks for all your comments on my current WIP! Terri, the design is called Gathering Honey. It's from the May/June 1987 issue of Cross Stitch & Country Crafts Magazine. Bastet, I plan to frame this sampler and hang it in my kitchen. I need a constant reminder of the verse stitched on it!

When my DS/9 was 4 years old, we borrowed books from the library to learn more about bees. Interesting stuff! It brought a whole new meaning to "Queen Bee"!

I put the model photo in my sidebar for a reference. As you can see, I still have quite a bit of stitching to do.

"Planting" My Stitching Garden

A stitching update...finally! I've finished the "hedges" in the upper right corner of the garden. Then, I moved to the lower left corner and stitched 3 of the 4 rows of plants. The green x's are part of the fourth veggie row. I've completed them, but I need to take another progress photo.

We celebrated Valentine's Day over the weekend by dining at Bonefish Grill. Ymmmm! We had a delicious meal! HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY TO ALL OF YOU!



DH is performing this Friday and Saturday night for release parties for the new Fried Glass Onions, Memphis Meets the Beatles Volume II CD. Both CD release parties are at Heartsong Church. You can get all the info here.

In Memory of Laura

I was shocked and saddened to learn that a fellow stitching blogger, Laura, A Night Owl Who Blogs, passed away suddenly on Friday. I read her blog regularly. My heart goes out to her husband, Neil, and the family. She was so excited about her new home being built. Though I never met her, I will miss her....

Finally, A Stitching Update

I finally finished cross stitching the upper left corner of Gathering Honey. Next, I backstitched that corner. I had not backstitched the stones yet, so I backstitched all the stones in the path. Lastly, I backstitched the beehive in the center. Now, it really looks like a hive, instead of a bell (which was my son's "guess" on the blob in the center LOL). Now I'm working on the upper right corner's "bushes" around the edge. I still love this design, which is a good thing, since I have a looooong way to go!

New Year's Eve was great! My DH had a televised gig on TV (Countdown on Beale) which was a lot of fun. Over 75,000 people attended the event, and a few thousand saw the performance live, while many more watched by TV. In the past, we normally aren't even up at midnight on New Year's Eve, but this was a nice change. (DH is on the left in the white shirt)

Christmas Wrap Up

We all had a very good Christmas. I got the twin size Aero bed I wanted (to take on our yearly Girl's Gathering), and some Beautiful perfume. My DH got a bike, so now we can all ride together. DS/8 got PS2 games, a Taylor guitar, and a media chair that plugs into his game system. My DD/24 and her fiance got lots of items for their home. DS/19 got items for his apartment. The biggest gift we got was just being together. I'm so thankful that most of our family lives nearby.

Looking forward to the New Year....
DH will be playing in the Countdown on Beale St. tonight and it will be televised on Channel 5 in Memphis. They will be performing at 10:20 p.m. , if you want to tape it, or better yet, celebrate downtown with us!

I have been getting a little stitching time squeezed in here and there, so I'll post a pic very soon. I'll also post some pics of Christmas when they are transferred. Gotta go for now....

But first...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Christmas Cards

I am soooo far behind on Christmas! I still need to finish buying gifts, decorating, and send out Christmas cards. Unfortunately, I tried to edit my Christmas card list, but instead, the list was deleted! I had to re-create the list from scratch. What a headache. I also send out a family newsletter to some of the folks on the list. (It goes to the ones who can tolerate reading all of our family stuff without gagging, LOL!).

Tonight DH and I went to our Bible Fellowship Class' Christmas Party. It was great fun! We had potluck and played the white elephant game. We ended up with a "normal" gift: a bible cover.

We had our Bunko night this past Tuesday. It was a lot of fun. I won an iron 3 tiered basket stand for the kitchen. It's for veggies and fruit.

As for stitching, I will post some updated pics of Gathering Honey soon.

Today: One Year Of Blogging

Today is my one year anniversary since my first blog post! Also today, my husband was on a local tv station playing music live! Today, I'm preparing food to be cooked tomorrow for Thanksgiving. I'll post pics of all the latest, along with my stitching when I get a little down time!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Dr. Adrian P. Rogers 9/12/31 - 11/15/05

Sadly, today, we will be saying goodbye to our beloved pastor, Dr. Adrian Rogers. He is known around the world for his broadcasts through Love Worth Finding. We pray for his wife, and his family, to have peace. He always said that when he died, not to mourn, because he would be kicking up gold dust in Heaven. What a joy to know he is laying his crowns before the Lord.

All 3 of my children came to know Jesus through his teaching. What a blessing he has been to us! Until we meet again, we love and miss you!

NOTE: Daystar Christian Television Network will air the Memorial Service live, Thursday, November 17, at 6:00 p.m. CT. Daystar is on DirecTV channel 369. The service will also be replayed at 12:00.am.

Slowly Progressing

I finally took a photo of the progress I've made on Gathering Honey. I have finished the backstitching in the top right corner. I am over halfway finished with the backstitching on the grey stones. I'll backstitch the beehive next. My DS/19 saw it and asked if it was a bell! I think some "detailing" is in order!

In other news, we've almost completed the makeover on the kitchen. I'll share some photos of that if I can find any good before photos.

DS/8 needs eyeglasses, so we'll be picking those out today. Both, my DH and I, along with all 3 children are nearsighted. When I'm stitching, I wear contacts and reading glasses, plus, I use a magnifying light. I'm blind as a bat!

Birthday Wishes!

Today is my DH's birthday! Maybe we'll go out to lunch (great idea!)... He reads my blog, so Happy Birthday, Honey! Two of his gifts were the cd's at the left, The Very Best of Supertramp and The Alan Parsons Project: The Definitive Collection. Boy, do these songs bring back memories!

I've backstitched some of the stones on Gathering Honey and all of the upper right corner of the garden area. I want to backstitch the hive before posting a progress pic.

I have really loved seeing all the photos of CATS and the stitching retreats that some of you have posted on your blogs. I've never been to anything like that. I think it would be great fun. Maybe someday.

Shrimpfest

Today, DH is on his way to Gulf Shores, AL, to play music at the National Shrimpfest. He'll play today at 2 p.m. and tomorrow at 4 p.m. If you are going to the Shrimpfest, be sure to check out the band & Dani. DH took the new digital camera with him, so I'll post some more progress pics when he returns home.

I Stand Corrected!

Okay, so everyone thinks the design above the lettuces are carrots. Well, after backstitching them, it turns out that they are CARROTS, not cactus, like I thought. If you only look at the charted picture, they look like cactuses. The more I backstitched, the more they looked like carrots! So, I asked my DH (who, by the way, had read my earlier post) what he thought they were. He said that they are carrots. That makes a way more sense than cactus. What was I thinking? Oh well, sorry for the confusion. The carrots, however, look very nice since they have been backstitched (if anyone even cares after all of this!!!!) I'll post a updated pic as soon as I complete that upper left corner.

We bought a new digital camera today!!! YAY!!

We also went to the Vesta Home Show today. The show consist of 11 newly built homes (5,000 - 6,500 sq. ft.) in a new neighborhood. They are on 1 - 5 acre lots. They were gorgeous!!! We got lots of ideas for our next home and also loads of decorating ideas. We took photos of a few of them. If we are able to build our next home, it will not be anywhere near the size of these, but it was still fun to dream!

Today, I have been married to the most handsome, loving, and patient man I know...my DH, for 14 years. I love him more each day.

This is for him since I didn't get him a card....

Hello, It's Me...Loving You
Just You & Me... Always
You Are My Inspiration...Forever
More Than Words...Could Ever Express
I Love You

New Progress Pic!

I finally got a photo of my progress on Gathering Honey! The top left section of the garden is finished, with the exception of all the backstitching. The lettuces are backstitched and the two-tone green border is partially backstitched, but the rest I still need to do. Above the lettuces are another plant that will look totally different with backstitching. See if you can guess what they are. I know I've said this before, but backstitching sure makes a design come to life with detail! Even though I've taken many breaks from this project, it hasn't been a hassle to stitch. In fact, it has been the most enjoyable project I have stitched so far. Because of all the color changes and spaces of fabric separations, I haven't gotten tired of any one particular color...yet.

In the close-up pic, you can really tell how the backstitching makes a dramatic difference. I'm looking forward to finishing this whole sampler so I can enjoy it on my wall.

Have you figured out what the plants are above the lettuces? They are cactus with out their needles! See what I mean about the backstitching thing!

Henry Gross

Last Friday, DH and I went to see Henry Gross in concert. He was one of our favorite musicians when we were still in high school. Henry has still got "it", the voice and the showmanship. For those of you are saying, "Henry who?", well, maybe you remember some of his songs..."Shannon" and "Show Me To The Stage". DH got his picture taken with him. How cool is that?! We had a great time reliving the memories of some of the tunes.

I actually got some stitching done and I will take a pic as soon as I can borrow my DD's camera.
(Henry Gross and DH at Blues City Cafe, Memphis)

Still no stitching

I haven't had an opportunity to do any stitching yet. DH had a nerve block on Monday for his back (ruptured L4). Now, he has begun physical therapy and it is helping relieve the pain. He will be off work a few more weeks at least. He's been busy with music, practicing and performing.

DS/8 is feeling better after having strep throat for the second time since June! It's so hard to see him sick, especially when he runs fever.

DD/24 is busy planning her wedding. She has selected her florist and photographer. She doesn't blog too often, but she did write about the proposal. You can read about it here.

DS/19 is being illusive. That's not unusal, but hard to get used to, since he doesn't have a phone and doesn't answer my emails. I do a lot of praying for him.

I have been having some foot pain problems for some time. I'm having trouble walking at times. I plan to see a doctor soon. In the meantime, my DH bought me some "sensible" shoes. They are Skechers. We bought the at Kohl's for $44. They are very comfortable, although I have to wear inner soles with a heel support in them because of the heel pain. The challenge now is what to wear with them! LOL!

Maybe I will get to stitch some tonight since DH has a gig tonight.
It will be just DS/8 and me at home.

Busy, busy, busy

These past few days have been very busy.

• Last Tuesday was Bunko night at my house. We all had a great time.
• Wednesday night was church/choir night.
• Thursday night was DH's gig at the Shanti Steak House. (DS/8 and I didn't go, but worked on homework.)
• Friday night, DH played a gig at Isaac Hayes.
• Saturday, DH had a gig at City Cafe in Holly Springs, MS. It was a Jimmy Buffett Tribute. It was a fun night.
• Sunday, we went to church and had a potluck lunch.

Yesterday, DH finally had his appointment for the neuro dr. to read his MRI and discuss treatment. He has a ruptured disk (L4) and he is having a nerve block on Monday. He will begin physical therapy soon. He'll be off work for at least another 3 weeks. He's already been on sick leave for about 1 month.

DD and I went to Macy's and she picked out her china pattern and silverware. The china she picked is Vera Wang's "Golden Grosgrain" Dinnerware Collection.

As for cross stitching, I haven't stitched one "x"! I hope I can squeeze in some time on Gathering Honey in the next day or so. I miss it. Cross stitching keeps me sane, I think.

Catching Up

DH went on a road trip with the band and Dani to the BayDays Festival in Hampton, VA, last Thursday. They had 3 gigs, one on the way, and the other 2 were at the festival. On Friday night, they were the headliner. On Saturday, they warmed up Bo Diddley, the famous guitarist! DH got to visit with him in Bo's trailer and got a photo with him. DH was supposed to arrived back home Sunday night. Instead, the trailer, that hauls the music equipment, broke an axle. So, DH had to spend another night and he should arrive home this evening.

I've been trying to get the house in order because I have Bunko at our home tomorrow night! The kitchen is about 85% complete, and I hope we can knock some more of the work out tomorrow during the day. The great room has gotten in such a mess that it has been a "de-cluttering process" before I could begin to clean.

I still have to buy the food for Bunko and clean the house. I have already bought the gifts for the winners. I'll try to get a photo of them.

DS/8 has a soccer game tonight, so this will be a late night for me.

I haven't cross stitched any, but I can't wait to get back to it.

Katrina - Giving Me a New Perspective

Hurricane Katrina has been such an eye opener! I am so glad I don't work for FEMA. What was the delay all about? Politics! Protocol! Oh, Pleeeeassssse! Thousands of people ripped from their homes, losing love ones, and some dying before FEMA can get their act together. It just makes me sick for all those people who, not only have to deal with the devastation of the disaster caused by Katrina, but also the disaster created by FEMA's incompetence. No apology will replace the loss of life that was caused by this mess.

Our church is housing and feeding about 117 Katrina survivors and growing. They even had a job fair today to help the survivors find employment. In an email I received from our church staff, it states, "Only a few hours ago the first Bellevue Disaster Relief Team left for Louisiana to assist with the immense relief efforts of helping the many people displaced by the flooding. Bellevue plans to continue to send at least one Disaster Relief Team a week to the disaster area for the next year."
They will be taking supplies and monetary gifts as well as feeding those who need that assistance. I think other churches are giving the same type of help. Hopefully, it will shine some light on these dark days.

On a totally different note,

I managed to run over my cell phone yesterday following my grandmother's funeral. Leave it to me to do something that lame! It fell out of my lap as I was getting out of my van. I later moved my van into the driveway (and ran over the phone, I think). If I didn't run over it, my neighbor did or the big school bus ran over it. All I know for sure is one of us ran over it. It will work randomly, but I can't dial any numbers. How awful it must have been for all those people involved in Katrina who didn't have cell phone service to call their loved ones! Everything seems to take on a secondary value to human life...isn't that the way it should be?

Bad News & Good News Day

Yesterday... what an emotional day!
We wake up to find we had been "misled" about an issue near and dear to us. Bummer! Bad News.

Bought necessities to stock some kits for refugees of Katrina. Dropped them off at our church that's housing 300 refugees.

By noon, I get a call to tell me that my Grandmother, who was like a mother to me, has died. (She was ill with Alzheimer's Disease for 8 years.) Sad News.

By afternoon, my 19 year old son calls me to tell me he's finally gotten a job! Great pay, too! Job doesn't start, though, for 3 more weeks! Overall, good news.

What a roller-coaster of a day!

Today, we are still working on the kitchen renovation. Painting, patching, and nail pulling. Yuck. It's slowly coming together. The area is actually 2 rooms, the kitchen and the dining area, separated by the cabinets and stove.

No stitching time...what a drag!

Productive Day

DH and I had a productive day working on our kitchen renovation. We were able to get several panels of beadboard up, so we can get a better idea what it will look like when finished. The cabinets are finished (repaired, repainted, and new hardware). The walls are partially primed. We are making progress. Hopefully, tomorrow following church, we can get back to painting. I still haven't taken pics because my camera isn't working. I hope it is repairable.

I haven't stitched one stitch. DD is busy planning her wedding and the house is a mess due to kitchen redo. Thanks to all who commented about my DD's engagement. You are all so sweet. Once my turn at Bunco is behind me, I'll go through all my charts on hand to see what I have as far as wedding design\

Suggest A Chart

My DD got engaged tonight! She has been dating her boyfriend for 4 years. He's a great guy and we think we are very fortunate to gain him as a son-in-law. They compliment each other. (She is my oldest child and my only daughter.)

I would like to cross stitch a wedding sampler or design for them, so please leave me comments with your suggestions.

Hot And Humid

It was 105 today (including the heat index)! It was so humid and muggy. I'll be glad to see fall.

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes! You are all so thoughtful!

I'm still painting cabinets, so no stitching time...yet....

The Kitchen Is A Wreck

We (DH and I) are renovating our kitchen. Since we plan to sale our home next spring, we are using the most neutral colors we can find (not the colors I'd prefer if we weren't moving soon). We bought "linen white" paint for the cabinets, trim, and lower walls. The upper walls will be a very light tan. zzzzzzz.... Boring, but great for attracting buyers later.

Before we could prep our kitchen cabinets to paint them, I had to remove every single item from my kitchen cabinets and stack them on the countertops, dining table, floor, etc. What a mess! Next, we had to sand all the cabinet doors, fill spots that were damaged, and re-sand, and sand some more.

We bought new hardware at Lowe's. The knobs and handles are a brushed nickle finish (less than $2 each!) For $60, we bought 13 knobs, 5 handles, and 18 hinges. We bought a tub of wood filler for repairing the cabinet doors for $5 (instead of replacing 13 doors at a cost of $$$$). We purchased beadboard paneling to go on the lower half of the walls, which we hope will give the whole room an updated look. Our camera isn't working, so I can't take photos of the "makeover". Maybe I can get my DD to take some with her camera. I'll give that a shot.

Happy Birthday to Me (Whoopee)

Today, I turned 44 years old. I don't feel "old", but I do feel "older". My DH gave me a bike (at my request), so I can ride with my DS/8. It was a little tough to keep up with him on his bike and me walking. Now, we can ride together. My daughter's 24th birthday was yesterday. She gave me an exercise ball/video set (I have been wanting one). You can read about my DD/24 here (Aug. 13th post) and read her blog. DH is taking me out to dinner tonight, also.

DS/8 starts 3rd grade tomorrow and we are busy getting organized for school. He's looking forward to it.

DH and I bought some more supplies to get back to our kitchen renovating. We bought beadboard panels for the lower part of the walls and paint. We will need to repair the cabinet doors, paint the cabinets and all the walls. There is lots of work ahead. We would like to finish it before my turn at Bunco, which is September 12th.

I still hope to get in some stitching time. We will see.

Great Review

Here's a review from a couple in the audience last night during DH's gig. The review is the Aug. 11th post. "Le Chat" and her fiance came to hear the concert in Court Square. Dani and her band put on a great show. This particular couple had front row seats, so they got a close up view of the band and Dani's performance.

It is always nice to get feedback following gigs, especially when it's so complimentary!

Here's a photo of DS/8 enjoying the concert, also.

Not a Stitch in Sight

On Monday I went back to Dr. Brain. Since the medicine he gave me helped my migraines, he doesn't need to see me again for a year (unless the migraines get more frequent). He did tell me that the MRI scans were consistent with having migraines and he didn't think it looked like MS. Well, that's a relief!

Tuesday was Bunco night. It was a great time. I won the "door prize": 2 sets of tongs. One set of tongs will even lock. They are really cool. Next month is my turn to have Bunco at my home. My house needs a lot of painting and repairs, so not as much stitching will happen in the next few weeks.

Thanks for all your comments on Gathering Honey. It really motivates me. 12 women coming to my home in a few weeks will hopefully motivate me to patch holes, paint, lay carpet, etc. Hopefully, we'll get it done in time.

Tonight DH played with Dani and the band at the Summer Concert Series at Court Square in downtown Memphis. It was hot and humid, but when the sun went down, it was tolerable. The radio station, FM100, was the host. The music was great and the crowd seemed to enjoy it. A coworker of DH's even brought some friends from England. (DH hurt his back so he wasn't able to do the splits like he usually does at the end of the show......Just kidding!)

Gathering Honey Garden "Growing"

I'm making progress on my cross stitch WIP, Gathering Honey. The lower right corner of the garden is "planted" , I mean to say, stitched. I also backstitched that area because it would have been too tedious to go back later. I haven't backstitched the stones or hive yet. I am enjoying this project so far. I get to use a lot of my favorite colors, which is nice, and there are lots of color changes so I haven't gotten burned out on any one particular shade. I tried to keep up with my time (even bought a timer), but I've failed at it miserably so far. I'll try to do better.

Thursday, I registered DS/8 for 3rd grade (school starts Aug. 15th). It's hard to believe his summer break is almost over! He took some beginner swim lessons this week and started practices for soccer.

We've had a busy few days with DH's music schedule, also. Thursday night he played at Rum Boogie Cafe and Friday night he played at B.B. Kings on Beale Street. Both shows went great and the crowds responded well to the music. This Wednesday, he'll be playing at Court Square for the Summer Concert Series.

Frogging Defined

Since creating this blog, I've had several non-stitchers asked me why I named my blog: Frogging Out. Candice's blog explains it perfectly.

Excerpts of Candice's Blog defining frogging....

"If you are reading this and you are not a cross stitcher, you may not know the significance of the frog. To us, the term "frog" means not only a tailless amphibian with webbed feet, but also the sound "ribbit ribbit," meaning that your stitching must be ripped out and restitched. To the cross stitcher, the frog can connote hours of painful picking away at floss, trying to get it free from delicate fabric without tearing anything."

"We cross stitchers regularly accuse each other of sicking a frog on us, of someone letting their frog out to invade every other cross stitcher's life, or the frog coming for a visit. Nobody wants that kind of frog. The tailless amphibian, however, is beloved."

"To the cross stitcher, frog is a noun and a verb. "To frog" is to remove stitches, and when one does that, one is "frogging." We all hate frogging."

Airheads Are A Lifesaver!

My DS/8 started swim lessons last week. His third lesson was today. DS/8 was not wanting to jump in (with a "noodle" wrapped around him). He reasoned, he cried, he resisted. Then, another lifeguard came over to them and told my DS/8 that he would reward him if he jumped in with him. So the lifeguard held his hand and they jumped in together! When he came up to the surface, DS/wasn't upset , but instead, he was ready to do it again! So he jumped in again with the lifeguard. The lesson was over, so he followed the lifeguard to get his "reward"...a green apple flavored Airheads. He was so proud of himself. His instructor told me that he didn't even think of offering him a reward. He said it was the one thing he hadn't tried with him. I told him if he offered DS/8 an eraser, he'd probably "swim" the length of the pool! He just laughed. Now, DS/8 is motivated, all because of a 10 cent Airheads!

You can read all about Airheads candy here...

Mirabilia's new freebie - Gold Butterfly!

Mirabilia has a new freebie, Gold Butterfly! If you go to the freebies, you'll see it. I really like it. It's the second in the series "Bejeweled Bugs." If you remember, the first one was a bumblebee. Check it out.

Gathering Honey Update

Gathering Honey progress as of today. The only backstitching I've done is the lower plants because it had to be done before those challenging french knots. Finally, I can start on the colorful parts. I was getting a little weary of grey stones! I even found a mistake at the top (I saw it when I enlarged my last progress pic), which I'll be frogging out and restitching. That's an added bonus to posting the progress photos. It comes in handy to spot overlooked errors. I think I'll also restitch the bees in the center (because the thread shows through from the back where I carried it from bee to bee). I'm off to put DS/8 to bed since he keeps getting back up.

Fishing Trip

DH took DS/8 fishing for the first time. The first fish he caught was this 1 lb. catfish! He caught several brim, also. He was very excited, though a little leary of the fish flipping around. He tried out his new fishing pole. They used hotdogs, instead of lures though.It was 99 degrees today so tey couldn't stay very long. It was just too hot! (Memphis is under a heat advisory!) Here is DH's Catch-of-the-Day! It was about a 5 lb. catfish! Who knew that catfish love hotdogs?

*Note to Readers: I removed the photos of the fish, due to the comment below. You can still see them, but you have to click on the above links. I didn't dream they would be upsetting to anyone.

Small Victories

I finally got my medication problem resolved and received it in the mail. Thank goodness! Small victory, if you want to call it that.

Stitching Update:
I attempted the french knots again on Gathering Honey WIP. I had searched several websites to see what I was missing. Finally, I figured out that you have to hold the thread at different tautness at different times. I got the hang of it, finally, and I'm on a roll (another small victory.) I found that it takes total focus to do the knots, unlike the full cross stitches. (At least, for me, it does.) I hope to have a progress photo to post soon.

Medusa says, "Give Me A Break!"

I have been trying since April to get a mistake corrected that was made by our health insurance company's meds-by-mail program. (The mail order meds are those that are "maintenance" type that are taken daily). I won't bore you with the details, but it has turned into a nightmare and now I'm completely out of medicine. I've made 7 phone calls and each time was told they had ordered it. To make things even more interesting, the med I'm out of is my hormone. I'm not a joy to be around without it, not to mention what it does to my body.

I went to Dr. Brain#2 yesterday and had an EEG. Can you say "Gluey Mess"? Fortunately, the glue will wash out with a good scrub. I felt like Medusa with all the wires coming out of my head. The Dr. said the EEG looked good. That's good news, because I need all the good brain waves I can get to deal with the incompetence of our meds-by-mail reps.

My car wouldn't start when I got ready to go to the doctor. I had to call my DH and get instructions over the phone on recharging the battery with a battery charger. It was 89 degrees and extremely humid, so by the time I got the van charged, my hair (not to mention the rest of me) was wringing wet. Not a pretty sight, I can assure you. I'm just glad yesterday is gone forever.

In stitching news, I've cross stitched some more areas on "Gathering Honey". I started on some flowers that are french knots. After I would make one knot, the next knot would pull the first knot through the fabric. I got frustrated and thought it best to come back to it later. Well, later, I was able to make 3 "good" knots and I stopped because it was getting late. I'll try to get those flowers stitched so I can post an update soon.

Duct Tape Dress Form

After reading Belinda's blog, "View From an Alternate Dementia", I remembered a great duct tape idea I found online. It is how to make a dress form out of duct tape. It's much cheaper than buying a commerical dress form, and the finished result is a body double of yourself. What a cool idea. If you sew clothing for yourself or someone else, it's a great way to cut down on the fittings. I hope to make one (when I start sewing clothing again). Here's another site that has a lot of information and photos and tips, too.

Progress on "Gathering Honey" WIP

Here's the progress, as of yesterday, on my "Gathering Honey" WIP. I have stitched more since this photo, but not enough for another update just yet. I'll post another update when I get further along. For reference, here's the model photo.

Recycle & ReUse!

When we were at the City Cafe in Holly Springs, MS, I saw several things that caught my eye. I love things that are made from recycled items. For instance, I like tables that are made from old doors. I like the look of an old window becoming a photo frame and old doors turned into tables.
This is the vanity in the women's restroom...

It's a antique sewing machine base, a scrap piece of marble, and a bowl for the sink! The drawers from the old sewing machine are even used as storage! How cool!! I love this idea. There was also a great vintage screen door hanging on the one of the walls as art, but I didn't get a pic of it.

(This is the same cafe where my son cracked the safe and got his prized buttons.)

The 8 Month Search Has Ended

Drum Roll, please.....We have a new pastor for our church!
He is Dr. Steve Gaines from Gardendale, AL.
You can read more about him here.



Our family is looking forward to having Dr. Gaines as our pastor. At the same time, we are praying for our former pastor, Dr. Rogers, who retired recently and has since started chemo treatments for cancer.

Cracking Safe in City Cafe

Last night, DH, DS/8 and I drove to Holly Springs, MS, for a gig at the City Cafe. We had a great time! Family and friends came to hear the music and eat some yummy catfish! DS/8 spied a safe the was as tall as he was. The owner told him to try to crack the combination. He could keep whatever was in it if he could open it. With his ear planted on the door of the safe, he carefully listened to hear the "clicks" as he turned the knob left and right. After many tries, he whispered in my ear, "I cracked the safe and I got the treasure!" When I turned around to see what the "treasure" was, I saw a small jar of buttons! The funny thing is, most children would be disappointed, but he was excited. He has #1: a mom who sews and (quoting him) #2: he has "ideas flying out of his head" all the time about projects we can make. The buttons will find a home in a pillow or something that will remind him of this adventure for years to come. (I think I'll sew the buttons in a fish design on a pillow, if I can talk him into it).

Sad Day in London, Sad Day for All Who Value Life

"I never knew grief felt so much like fear."

Quote from: A Grief Observed - C. S. Lewis

When I saw on t.v. the bombings in London by terrorists, I began to grieve. What goes so wrong in a person's life that makes them hate so strong? It's just horrible. This is the messed up world my children have to grow up in. My heart and prayers go to the families who lost loved ones & suffered injuries.

"Gathering Honey" Stitching Stones

I'm chugging along on the stone path in the "Gathering Honey" project. Hopefully I won't see any more "frogs". As I've said before, I haven't done any of the backstitching yet. You can see what this design looks like when finished...here.

Fireworks and Announcement of New Pastor

On Sunday evening, my DH, DD/23 & DS/8 went to our July 4th Celebration at our church, Bellevue Bapt. The fireworks were awesome! Sunday morning, the announcement was made that a new pastor for our church has been selected. We don't know who it is yet, but he'll be preaching next Sunday. Our Pastor Emeritus, Dr. Adrian Rogers, has started receiving chemo treatments for colon cancer. God bless him and his family.

I have stitched and I have frogged out the beginning of the pathway on Gathering Honey. Now that I'm back on track with the stone path, I'll post a progress pic soon. It has been a fun project so far. The frogging out slowed me down, but the path is stitching up nicely.

My DS/8 saw the Stoney Creek design, Noah's Sub, and asked if he could stitch it. This is coming from a child that already has 3 works in progress (WIPs)! Of course, I said, "Not just yet". What, on earth, have I started?