Birthdays, Baby Hats, and Stash!

My "baby" turned 24 on June 11th! What a ride it's been, being his parent. A good one, of course! He has gone from a baby to a full grown man, complete with a job with benefits, right before our eyes. It went by too fast, just like my mom said it would. He's wonderful. And his gorgeous girlfriend is wonderful too. I have two wonderful kiddos.

This was the first birthday that he's had without his grandparents in attendance. My mom was very sad to have missed it. Hopefully it won't be like this next year, and we can all be together again for these types of things. She did insist on getting him his favorite cake, Black Tie Mousse Cake from Olive Garden, and he was very happy about that. You know how you know your child is grown up? They ask for money for their birthday so they can pay bills off. Wow, how did this happen so quickly?

I did do some stitching this week, but not even enough to report an update on. I took a bit of a break and did a little tiny newborn crochet hat. No baby to go with the hat though! I just like doing them because they are fun and cute and make me smile. I might try to sell some on etsy later this year though. Keep posted for that!

I have posted the link to this hat before, from Ravelry, but it's no long available to purchase! Just in case you want to keep an eye on it or message the designer, it's called the Jovie Pixie Baby Bonnet and you can see it HERE. I hope she makes it available again. It's super cute and fun to do!

Yep, I did indeed get more stash. Why do I need it? I don't. I actually DO stitch things, so I don't feel too bad, lol. Here we go.....

I was enabled to hunt down and buy the Sunshine and Shadows Sampler, by Brightneedle, by Xstitchmd on Flosstube (youtube). She is so adorable, and she loves quaker stitching and she's a pleasure to watch and listen to. Check her out if you get a chance! There's a bit of a mystery with that pattern. There is a motif that she wasn't (and I'm not) able to figure out what it is!

Anyone have a clue? If I can't figure this one out, I'll replace it with maybe a little quaker motif or something, but dang, my eyes are so bad, I just can't get it!

I hope everyone is doing OK. We are doing good here. Trying to keep spirits up amid all the weirdness that is the pandemic (STILL!). It's hard to fathom doing all this for another year or more. I mean, really. Being outside does help though.

Take care, and I'll be back soon with a hopefully major Flag Folk update. I just need to power through and get it done! Until next time,

Update on Flag Folk and New Food Tries!

I spoke too soon in the previous blog entry. Maybe a day and a half later, someone in my family was rushed to the hospital with the virus. All I can say is that if anyone thinks this is some overblown flu------boy, they are sadly mistaken. Sadly mistaken. It's vicious, and made all the more cruel because you can't be with your loved one when they are suffering the most. My family member is recovering, slowly, after a week of hospitalization and a return trip to the ER after that with a complication. Please, please wear your masks and use your hand sanitizer. None of us knows if we are asymptomatic carriers and may cause someone, like my family, another life-threatening situation, or worse! Rant over. On to the cross stitch!

I am amazed I got anything done on it the past week and a half after all we've been through. I think stitching took my mind off of it all for a tiny bit. Still plugging along, even after I type this entry up.

The weather has been just glorious summer type weather. And sitting outside just makes me feel peaceful. Soaking up the heat and sun for a while makes everything seem wonderful for a while. We also had a weird storm here last night.

I love that we have so much open sky in this neighborhood. It allows for some great sky watching, which I love to do all the time.

This past week saw me making a couple new recipes. I made a super tasty chicken teriyaki dish, which you can find HERE.

And this morning, I made a coffee cake, which I've never done before. You can get the recipe HERE.

It was just a tad dry. But overall, it's a nice vintage type coffee cake recipe! I will definitely be doing it again. I had the oven at 425 degrees (off of a Bisquick box picture), but the recipe above has the over at 400, so maybe that will help!

Try something new, appreciate what you can in life, and hug your loved ones. All the time, but especially in these times. There so much going on now. We will get through it, but things will most likely be changed.

Until next time,

Memorial Day and Flag Folk Update

Memorial Day was kind of lackluster here. The weather was blah and cloudy, but we did cook out this past weekend. It just wasn't on Memorial Day. My company was kind enough to give us all Tuesday off as well and I really enjoyed it, though I didn't do much. Seems to be the order of the day lately.

Here's my update so far!

Moving right along! I still love this fabric that I dyed. It's not quite as dark or greenish as the PTP Murky, but I still like it. Though not very big, it's the largest piece I've done in a while. 

I wish I had more to report on or share. Our state is re-opening, and it's baby steps, rightly so. I'm trying to fight off being depressed about it all, quite honestly. I am very thankful no one I know has been affected at this time. I miss how things were-being able to take my kiddos out to lunch or dinner somewhere. It's been months since I've been able to do that. Yes, we eat here, but we did love going out too. Who doesn't?

Made myself some waffles with fresh strawberries as a consolation last night. Pretty good if I do say so myself! These are just from the side of the box recipe for waffles using Aunt Jemima Original Complete pancake/waffle mix.

Growing petunias again this year in pots out back. I do love them. I haven't bee able to find true "trailing" petunias in years. I had them ONE year---and then not again. Sure, they may say "trailing", but believe me, they are not. Have no idea what's going on in petunia-world, but someone is depriving us of our trailing petunias, lol. These light purple ones smell so amazing!

Jenny just wanted to say HELLO! This pup is my baby. She's a nearly 14 year old baby, but still! I can't believe she's been with us that long. She makes me laugh, but she can be rotten too, don't get me wrong. Still love her.

Well, that's it! I hope you guys have an amazing upcoming weekend and have wonderful weather and can get outside and get some sunshine! Meanwhile, I'm gonna try and make some more progress on this Flag Folk piece and think about what I want to do next. Until then,

Yup. More stash. Flag Folk progress too!

First, the progress! I did pretty good this week. It was a short work week, so most every day afterwards, I stitched!

How cute is this? I love stitching primitive designs. The simplicity lends itself to a very relaxing experience. I would love to be done with this by the end of the month and move on to something else fun. We shall see!

I try to keep my purchases to a limit every month, and I sure do not need more-but sometimes, a design just speaks to you. I sold lots of my cross stitch things years ago, and have slowly replaced them (though, not in the pristine condition I had them in). Not everything, but you know, the ones I really loved.

This last one is Father Sail Home by Shakespeare's Peddler. It's just a little thing. But this one is special to me. I'm going to stitch this in honor of my stepfather, Jim, who passed away in 2017. He was in the Navy, and he owned a sailboat at one time. He loved the beach, lighthouses, and he fancied himself a seafaring man his whole life. This little design will be perfect. I'm sorry I never saw this design while he was alive. He'd have loved it.

I guess I need to order some clothes for summer. Kohl's still isn't open here, but it may be soon. I'm just so depressed at the state of things. Trying to keep chin up, but wow. The news is so awful, I can't look too much anymore. Until things even out, I think I need to drink more tea and go for more walks. I went to walk a couple times this past week at my old stomping grounds. I took my mom one day for some nice outdoor time. She said it made all the difference. It was absolutely beautiful.

When I am there, nothing seems wrong with the world. All you hear are the insects, and the birds, and the wind. All you see are the green pastures and gently rolling fields. It's definitely one of my favorite places.

Take care, get some fresh air and sunshine if you can. It'll be a chance of rain or raining pretty much all week long here. Still going to sit on the porch a while or heck, maybe even just go to the park anyways. Hope you get lots of stitching done. Until next time,

Happy Mother's Day!

I don't know how we're so far into May, but here we are! I hope everyone is staying well and being safe. I'm doing the old home made no-sew bandana mask when I go out. I kind of like looking like a bandit.

I got a lot more stitching done this week on Notforgotten Farm's Flag Folk. I can tell you I do not like working with the called for overdyed flosses by WDW. Onyx is better than Schneckley for some reason. Portions of the floss are very thin. Some get "fuzzy" on a stitch or two before it evens out for some reason. Maybe it doesn't like being pulled through the aida. It also knots up no matter how long or short I cut the length! Sure looks pretty though, lol.

I am lucky to have my mother still on this earth, and to say I appreciate everything she's ever done for me is an understatement.

Mom bringing me home Aug. 1966 Bethesda Naval Hospital

My mom instilled a loved of crafting, reading, and family. I know everyone's mom is special, but she is really special. I thank her for everything. Everything. I can't say it enough.

My son and his girlfriend (my second kiddo), got me a super sweet little basket with a bunch of sweetness in it. Reese's peanut butter cups (ate them straight away), car air freshener, body scrub, kleenex (yay!), gorgeous diffuser, and a beautiful card. I am so thankful for them, and love them so much.

Spring has really sprung around here. The weather is gorgeous, and trees are all green. We cancelled our vacation and postponed it until next year. It's just what had to be done. Hopefully all will be evened out a bit more with the covid situation. But I just can't see going to the beach in a few weeks without all the restaurants being open, or the pools. It'll wait for us.

Well, you guys take care, and take care of each other. Don't put too much pressure on yourself and just try and roll with it. It's tough, but we'll get through this and come out on the other side, hopefully more grateful, more prepared, and smarter. Until next time,

Flag Folk Update and what's happenin'?

I think I lost a week somewhere and forgot to update. But here's the most recent progress on my Flag Folk with my own version of Murky fabric.

Honestly, after my previous attempts at this one, I never thought I'd get this far. I really really like this one! I left out the WDW "Straw" for his head, which was not listed on the pattern key but inside the actual design. The replacement for the WDW "Straw" which was listed as DMC 422 (online) was just about the same color as this little guy's shirt! So I plucked DMC 543 from my stash and I'm pretty happy with it so far.

I'm taking far less photos of anything else than I ever have in many years. I'm just not feeling it. Life seems so strange, and I know we are all going through this now, even though many states are "opening up" a little at a time. I think that isn't such a hot idea when you are living in an area where illness is increasing, but that's just my opinion.....

Work was very busy this past week and my weekends are FLYING by at lightning speed. I did a major clean up of my spare room/craft room last weekend, and I'm ecstatic about that. My husband painted our laundry room and put shiplap on one wall. I'll update with pics as soon as it's all nice and neat looking. I see those pics on pinterest with people's laundry rooms looking more like their own living room and I wonder if it really stays like that??! I mean, a tiny crystal chandelier in the laundry room? My laundry room gets so dusty, I could never pull that off. But if someone can, then more power to 'em! I'm happy with my pretty simple makeover though.

I truly hope everyone out there reading this is doing well. Hopefully you are getting lots of stitching done, or learning a new dish to cook. I'd love to make some bread if everyone hadn't already hoarded up all the yeast, lol. I need to concentrate on cutting bread out, actually, instead of incorporating it even more into my daily life. Oh well!

Take care of yourselves, and have a great upcoming week! Until next time,

Cabin Fever Stitching, etc.

This is getting tough. There are so many things I miss. Going out to eat with my mom, my son's girlfriend (Tiara), and shopping pop ins to Home Goods and Marshalls. I'm trying. I'm trying very, very hard to appreciate the fact that none of us are sick at this time, and that the hardest thing I have to do is to not go anywhere. But it is getting to me. How about you? Are you dealing with it all OK? Give me some tips if you have them.

I got the leaf branch nearly done on Flag Folk.

I have loved this design for so long--started it last year on a different colorway of my own dyed fabric, but didn't like it as much as this one. It's an enjoyable stitch thus far!

I spent the weekend trying to get my spare bedroom in shape. All my crafty stitchy stuff was all over the place. I put away all the stash charts I acquired the past year (yep, I said year). I reorganized nearly all my DMC floss. Next up is coming up with a good storage method for left over specialty flosses. Again, if you have any ideas, let me know.

While filing away my floss, I came across a few groupings of floss that I have NO IDEA what to do with. I know I purchased them for certain projects, but now--it's anybody's guess.

Oh my, what have I done? I looked and looked, and can't decipher what they go to. That's three separate groups, purchased at different times and set aside for some project. Ha!

A bit more recent stash to show. Hey, I can't go out and buy any Rae Dunn, so here I sit, browsing through my stash unload groups and when something pops up I can't live without, I get it. It makes me happy.

I have been searching for Moon Garden for probably 10 years. I could never justify paying what it was going for on ebay-ever. I scored a very nice, new, chart for a great price and couldn't turn it down. I already had all the supplies kitted up, just waiting for the day when it happened. Though, now that I think of it, I recently scored a large piece of black Heatherfield fabric and might do it on that! I bought it for another project, but Moon Garden might need it instead!

I used to LOVE Heatherfield fabric. I'd love to see Wichelt start to produce it again. They had so many wonderful colors and my favorites were the ones with the multi-colored specks in the fabric. I have a few things framed that I did on Heatherfield. I'll take some pics soon and talk about that great fabric.

Try to stay sane out there. And wear your masks. I have some bandanas on order from Hobby Lobby, and purchased a good number of hair elastics to use the fold over technique for simple mask wearing. I didn't have much luck with sewing them, but may give it another go. I saw a doctor say that one of the best "filters" for the mask is just a folded up paper napkin (think Bounty). So, using bandanas will easily allow for that until I can do something better.
Keep safe and well, and until next time,

Flag Folk update and some Stash!

I worked on my Flag Folk this weekend. I absolutely love it on my hand dyed fabric!

I also picked up some stash from my stash unload groups. I always get excited about stash!

Now, see that Mirabilia? I have the magazine/color version, but I felt the need to have the black/white chart too. I also have that project about 3/4 of the way complete--back from 2007. I am not going to keep it, because I'm not happy with a LOT of the stitching. So maybe I will give it another go! Or not. LOL.

I do love those Told In A Garden ones too. There is just something about those patterns that I adore. The homey-ness, or simplicity of life depicted in them. They just speak to me.

Easter dinner was super simple tonight, with Stouffer's meatloaf and mashed potatoes and green beans in a microwave bag! I have felt ready to go back to bed all day with the pollen being so high, or maybe it's just cabin fever. I made myself stitch though and for that I'm happy! Also being with my kiddos makes me happy. They probably can't wait to bust out of here, but for now, I am enjoying having them here all the time.

Take care of yourselves and loved ones. Until next time,

Flag Folk update and birthday fun!

I have a modest start on my second go-round of Flag Folk by Notforgotten Farm. I did not stitch the yellow circle thing in the blue area of the flag. For some reason, I could not get that to look right and the stitches looked kind of fuzzy after a couple attempts. I think it looks OK just blue. I switched out the WDW Dolphin with DMC 926. I also swapped out WDW Terracotta for DMC 3777.

My son's beautiful girlfriend turned 23 yesterday! Oh to be 23 again! I made a larger version of the hanging basket in one of the skeins of gorgeous pink T-Shirt yarn my mom got me (show in the post below this one).

That yarn was much more difficult to crochet with than yarn! I enjoyed doing it, but needed ibuprofen for my old hands and shoulders, lol. It was totally worth it though!

Also made the Chocolate Cloud Cake that everyone loves. It turned out wonderfully.

I made authentic chicken fried rice and the three of us had a wonderful dinner and dessert! The weather was really pretty too. Love these kiddos.

Well, it's been another week of bad news and rising infection in this country. It's pretty surreal. I won't be gracing WalMart's doors any time soon. They have instituted a policy where they let a certain number of people in the store and everyone else waits outside. Then it's one in, one out. I hope Target doesn't do that. Or regular grocery stores. I think vacation is cancelled this year as well. Not happy, but what can you do when there's a global pandemic? Nothing. Just wait it out and try to stay safe.

Stay comfy and safe, and take care of yourselves. Hopefully you are getting lots of stitching and home cooking done. All that would be great if not for the existential dread, wouldn't it?

Until next time,