Merry Christmas and TUSAL

I almost forgot and maybe I'm too late to be on time which is what I usually am.

First, my orts.... can you see?

Really are a couple in there, lol.

And here is my Christmas jar all done for another full moon year

In case you can 't tell, my ort jar this month was a snowman :)

Daffy Cat, thanks so much for keeping up with this all year. I signed up for next year, my goal being to fill up some jars monthly. I know I can!

Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends and your families. I hope the holidays are filled with much love and joy and peace.

All of our festivities are done and hubby and I are sitting quietly at home today with Kylie and Gibbs our sweet cats.

Love,

Babs

Snowing in Bama on Pearl Harbor Day

No pictures yet cause I really don't think this will be a snow "event" in the south. If it sticks and stays around I'll snap a picture.
On this day December 7, 1923 my daddy was born. He wasn't at Pearl Harbor, but he did ship out when he was 18 years old. I lost my dad when I was 28, but I can still remember him just like he was then. Happy Birthday Daddy from your only daughter. Of course that made me daddy's little girl and my three brothers just had to live with it.

Some more goodies from my stitching friends to share with you

Bird Tin made by Deb Stevens a couple years ago that I loved.

Inside of the tin (she gave it to me, remembering how much I liked it)

wrong way george, but you get the picture

Also made by Deb; look at all the goodies inside, even an ort bag

teeny tiny stitches from Nita Sinclair and teeny tiny bunches of beads all around
and thread spool pin cushion

And before Nita could get home from trip she picked this up
in Florida for me. heart was inside

My beautiful ornament from the exchange in buddies group
stitched by Sue Kinkell. There's magic in Sue's needle.

and believe it or not, I do stitch. this is
ornament I made for Donna (bd twin) in the exchange.

One Breath at a Time and Sweet Stitching Buddies

They say one picture is worth a thousand words so I'll try to let the pics speak for me.

It all started when my daughter Tami and I went to our LNS, the Cross Stitch Peddler to meet a dear stitching buddy from North Carolina who was going to be in our area  for one day...Deb Stevens. This was November 1st.

    

This is what we saw when we entered the door...and some of them are in another room shopping...Deb wasn't even in this room. There were 11 beautiful ladies awaiting our arrival along with Marlene, lns owner.

It was something they had been planning for months along with my dd Tami and Marlene. A surprise gathering for Babs and Tami but someone had to  help them get it altogether because none of them had ever been to our town.

A kiss from Georgia who came from Canada...

There was some shopping going on...Angela who came from England.

And here is Deb, the only one I thought would be there...she's shopping too.

And don't you know when the cash register starts singing, you always look the other way, lol? That's what it looks like Georgia is thinking anyway.

These gals had met up in Nashville to spend five wonderful days of stitching, sharing, celebrating halloween festivities and planning how they were going to surprise me the next day. Some of the gifts from them included....well, just look



Now is a good time to say that I was overwhelmed with their thoughtfulness, generosity and love so I did what any southern gal would do....I cried.  And see the little name tag? This is yet another gift for the whole bunch made by Julie and Becky of In the Company of Friends and  gifted to us. The little bit of lace/w name by Georgia I think. They thought of everything. That's Sally beside me and there is a whole story about Sally I will share with you another time.

Now, here is the really sweet part...why they did all this. They know I'm on oxygen and have some bad days. They also knew the chances of me ever making one of their gatherings was very slim. So, they brought the gathering to me. I had said one day in a post to the group something about taking it one breath at a time, and the idea was born. Have a look.

Notice the one breath at a time on two of them?

Now look at the back of the others.

Next up...

now the back

The group

back row: Benita, my dd Tami, Angela, Vickey Georgia, Nita, Deborah, Deb, and Sharron

front row: Donna, Mary, Babs, Sally

where else but Cracker Barrel?

my sweet daughter Tami on the right who was taking all the pictures and in few of them

More beautiful stitchy stuff to come later!

Babs



TUSAL again? have not been stitching

Time is coming and going so fast. I don't know what happened to yesterday and can't figure out what's going on today. Confused I am!

You can see from the orts that very very little has been done this month.
I have been sick  for most of the month...it started on the 2nd or 3rd and still have some residual. But it is another day and I want to share with ya'll my very special day on November 1st.
All I'm going to say right now cause I'm sure everyone is watching some ball game :) is look at this sweet card I got from my buddies in original stitching buddies group.

The thing about this card is that it was handed to me personally on November 1st right here at my LNS in Decatur, Alabama. The two gifts you see are just two that were in top of the box when I went to take the picture for this post. I will tell you about them and all the rest when I post again, hopefully on Sunday.  I just want to say Happy Thanksgiving to all! Have read some posts here and there but not enough to know what's been going on.

Talk Soon!

hugs,

Babs

Full moon again? orts and other stuff

Time can sure get away from you can't it? I'm supposed to be over there watching the world series. I won't say who I'm rooting for, but if my team wins I get to watch Fringe tomorrow night. My very favorite show on TV right now.
Orts? Yes, I've got a few...again.  I've stitched on so many things since last post but the only things I've finished are exchange pieces. It was fun using all that fall/Halloween thread whether I can show off finishes or not.
First up, my orts. Maybe  using these itty bitty containers is not a good idea, power of suggestion and all that.

Next up is picture of a very special chart from The Sweetheart Tree. Special first because it's a stitch for the cure piece. But also special because I WON this chart. I did! DJ offered three different charts for giveaway and I won this beautiful hardanger one. Have I ever done hardanger? No, but this is a good time to learn, huh?  She even included a piece of fabric and offered the specialty thread. I'll  post progress pictures as I stitch it. I will!

These next two pics are of the goodies I won from my friend Julie of In the Company of Friends. She drew my name from our halloween exchange in my stitching buddies group. Can you believe the pumpkin head witchie? It is intricately stitched to perfection and put together like a professional (which is what she is :) I am the lucky one for sure. The thread winders are so special and the cute earrings are made by her. A very talented lady...she and her partner in business, Becky, are both so talented.

Last is my fall table located in the foyer. There are gifts from years ago, a few years ago, last year and now this year. A little fuzzy but you get the idea.

My last bit of news is that one of my stitching buddies from my very first group all the way back to 2000 will be here in my town next Tuesday. We are going to meet up at my LNS the Cross stitch Peddler, visit and stitch a little, have lunch, etc. My daughter Tami and I went to stitching festival in Nashville in 05 and met Deb then. Tami will be joining us Tuesday too. Am I excited or what?

Hugs and don't eat too much candy on halloween,
Babs

TUSAL for September and my wonderful giveaway wins!

September moon...sounds beautiful, doesn't it? Here is the contribution from me. I've come to realize that most of my "orts" are from frogging. I just haven't been having an easy time of it and it shows.  I'm going to have to make public apologies to some of the sal's I joined this year because I've proven myself absolutely untrustworthy when signing up for something. Still three months left in the year...who knows?
Next up are two very special wins for me. I never win...never. But it was well worth the wait :)

From Gillie at Random Thoughts from Abroad. I had been seeing ads for the new Mollie designs books but had never seen a copy over here. She had one to giveaway and BABS WON!  She did! She did!  I've looked at this book so many times.

But Wait! That's not all! Look at this from Nancy over at Victorian Sampler Shoppe. I love all her stuff and wish I could order something every week, but you know how that goes, huh? Just look at the ric-rac, the chenille trim and ribbons and buttons! It's like this package was handpicked for me :) Thank you so much, Nancy...I'll definitely be seeing you soon.

Well, that's my wonderful week. I'm reminded of something I stitched my daughter some years ago "Good things come to those who wait". I waited and good things came.
Thanks so much ladies!
hugs,
Babs

It's the 13th and I have a winner!!!!!

This was the first time out for me so I learned as I went. I want to thank everyone who commented on my blog and hope that it means you will hang out here a little as I grow in the blogging world.
Also a special thanks to all of you who mentioned my Mother.  Those comments mean a lot. To Calamity Jr, another thanks for coming back the second time to let me know I was in her thoughts during this whole season of rememberance. As you can imagine this date has more than one meaning to me. (Mother was buried on 9/11/05.

To Linda at bengalcatlover a big thank you for being my 100th follower! For that, you get something special. Of the gifts, let me know which was your favorite and you will get that in the mail. (Not the winner's, but one of your own.)  So please let me know. I'll even stitch you something if you like :)

Now for the winner.....Cindy over at Clear Skies after the Storm. Congratulations, Cindy and please give me your mailing info and I will get it out to you. I went over and became a follower of your blog.

I used random counter for results and #22 was the winning number, belonging to Cindy :)

Next giveaway is already planned and involves Heaven and Earth designs.  I'll be posting about that one in a little bit.
Thanks again and do hope those who are new to my blog will come back.

hugs,
Babs

TuSal, Remembering, and announcing a giveaway...

Yes, it is full moon again and I should be ashamed of my little ort contribution since last time. I have as many strands from linen as I do threads. Oh well, there's always September.

On this day in 2005, there was another storm and her name was Katrina. It hit my hometown on the gulf coast on the 29th which led to my Mother's death on Sept. 7th. So, as I watched the news of Irene, I kept remembering that other storm and the impact it had on me, and I thought of those in harm's way this time and prayed for their safety. God bless any and all of you who were impacted by this storm in any way.

OK! to the giveaway!

First up is Barb Adams & Alma Allen's new book "A Schoolgirl's Work, Samplers from the Spencer Museum of Art. The book is beautiful; the stories and pictures of old samplers and the 11 beautiful projects they added just for us.

Next up is the brand new Limited Addition Santa from Prairie Schooler. Kit is complete with thread and fabric, needle and never been opened. The 2004 Santa just happened to be one I have two of :)

Then, there is my favorite scissor/flower frog. It is one piece, no chips anywhere...the picture doesn't do it justice.

And what in the world is that little bit of stitching???? It's the hand stitched piece that comes with the package but that's all the stitching done on it so far. It's on a 40 ct. piece of Zwiegart solo  and it seemed to fit the fall just around the corner.

That's it for now. All you have to do is comment on this post only. If there is something in the package you don't want, just tell me and I'll draw another name. If you do want to post it on your blog, please do and tell me and I will add your name twice.

Oh yes, Shepherd's Bush Passion Fob kit was on the list and I forgot about it. It is a beautiful little kit brand new and sure to catch the eye of someone :) Also, the giveaway runs until September 12 with the drawing on the 13th.

I thought I'd celebrate 100 followers but it just didn't happen. Then I thought I'd celebrate blogaversary, same thing, then birthday and good news on hubby, same thing, 46th anniversary, nope. So, this giveaway is in honor of my Mother.....how's that? She was unique, and maybe there's something in this package unique. I'm known to throw little stuff in when I'm packaging up. Giving is the most fun!!!

bye for now,

Babs

Monday musings and other stuff

At this writing I don't even have a name for this post yet.  Maybe it will come to me by the time I'm done.  I have no stitching to report, not because I haven't stitched anything...just haven't stitched enough to report.
Herman is doing ok. In fact he returns from a short trip to Philadelphia tomorrow so I've been by myself . Right, there's no excuse for not getting anything accomplished.
I just didn't want my next post to be at full moon again with a measley amount of orts.
Thanks to everyone who wished me happy birthday. I did have a happy one.
We also celebrated our 46th (that's 46) anniversary on the 6th of August. That was a happy day too :)
Am I the only person who loses followers instead of gains them? Can't say I blame anyone, but please come on back??
I will announce my giveaway next Monday the 29th and it will run for two weeks with a winner being announced on September 13. There's a couple things I'm undecided about but it'll come to me....surely.

Want you to meet Claudia, my little prim buddy and her buddy-bear.

There is a shop here called the Gathering Place, seller of Christian books and such.  Then she has one little room full of antiques and new stuff made to look antique and always a prim doll or two. I named her after Claudia, the youngest of the Warehouse 13 team on SYFY. She is so cool and  really smart, full of quips and laughs. It was a toss up between her and Abby on NCIS, but since Gibbs name came from there, decided to go with Claudia.

Does she look bored?

I signed up for the Autumn Sampler that Brenda at With thy Needle and Thread came up with and offered to members of Samplermakers (sidebar). I hope I got all that right.

So, that constituted an order from Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe. I chose some of her autumn hand-dyed threads and trims and buttons and hope to come up with a most beautiful design of my own....never have yet, but we'll see.

I think that's it for now. If you're still following me, wish you'd let me know, and even if you're not. I really do understand. Oh, that blue chair thingie in the top of the last picture?  I joined the world of handicapped parking. I figure that'll pacify Herman for awhile, lol. You think?
happy stitching!
Babs

Ort report among other things

First and foremost would be the orts. Very boring  as I've done very little stitching, or maybe a little stitching on many things with virtually nothing to show for it.

I don't know how many "friends" I have left here for real as there's just not been anything to follow, but those of you who are here and will read and comment THANK YOU SO MUCH! It's been another strange summer and if you add the weather to the equation, it's almost twilight zone :)

Herman's reports turned out ok for at least six months when they must do it all again. His lack of energy (they say) will lessen the farther he gets from the cancer/chemo of last year. We must never forget that he has had lupus for years, something that gets lost in the shuffle of all the other stuff. Thanks so much for your prayers and kind thoughts and words. None were/are taken for granted.

Now, for my birthday...it was a special day seemingly taken right out of time. Herman got me up early and we spent much of the day in Huntsville. We had an early lunch, went to Barnes & Noble at Bridge Street and then to Patches & Stitches, the OTHER lns that I don't go to much but love to browse through all the rooms. It's in an old house downtown and they have quilting, needlepoint and cross stitch. Their specialty has always been old reproduction samplers as well as new ones and I daresay there isn't an inch of wall space not used for the models, some of them very old.

Back to Decatur for the rest of the day. It was stitch in day at my lns and so we got to visit with Marlene and the ladies and give them Herman's report from the day before. They all like Herman  because he's always been interested in our craft/art. He actually introduced me to the world of cross stitch when one of his bosses' wives showed him her work. He couldn't wait to get home and tell me about it. That was when finding a shop was not an easy task and way before cyberspace.

Then it was Books a Million and ended the day at Red Lobster. Worn out? yes oxygen depleted? yes. But it was a fun fun way to get so tired.

I just shopped to my heart's content...why is it that when you can get whatever you want you just don't get that much? I guess the fun was enjoying a day away from the house without worries and just looking at everything.

I will share what my girls did for my birthday in my next post tonight or tomorrow...REALLY! But will leave you with these pics.

First up is one of the treasures I mentioned in my last post a month ago. This is my old sewing machine. It's not a Singer but a Franklin. It is beautiful and I have the belts for it and actually sewed on it the day I brought it home. The beautiful scroll work on it is Egyptian with scarabs and other things my grandson knew more about than I do :) The machine actually drops down into the woodwork when it's closed. The woman we got it from was the original owner or it was in her family.  Where did I find it? In one of our storage sheds out back. I thought I had given it to a friend some years ago, but had changed my mind at the last minute and stored it. The rose is one of many awaiting me when I got up in the morning from Herman and my back yard.

Last up would be my kitten (four months old tomorrow) but inside with me two and a half months. No matter what I do, Gibbs wants to help...everything I do. He makes me laugh all the time and I think he knows I need him.

Birthday stuff next time!

Happy Sunday!

Babs