Belated Mother's Day

So, in honor of Father's Day this weekend, I am finally doing a Mother's Day post.

That's how I roll.

My mother taught me how to cross-stitch when I was about seven years old (I think).  For some reason, the age of seven sticks in my mind as the year...but I could be wrong.  Anyway, I've been stitching, then, for about 28 years!  (I am not ashamed to say that I am 35 years young.)

So I made another cross-stitch project for my mom this year (last year's gift was a card).  I was so excited when I finished it, I wanted to post it right away, but of course, being a gift, could not do it until after she'd opened it.  I found a design from Country Garden Stitchery that immediately reminded me of my mom.  There were purple posies (her favorite color) that were kind of pansy-like (her favorite flower).  At first I was going to make it into a bookmark, but half-way through I realized that she has a Nook -- she doesn't need a bookmark.  Darn technology.  But thankfully, since I'd changed the fabric from a 28-count to a 32-count, the design was small enough to make into a checkbook cover.  

So here's what she got:

The design is called Purple Olive Wildflower Patch; I found it in Country Garden Stitchery's Etsy store.  I used the Weeks Dye Works threads that the design called for, and a scrap piece of 32-count Lambswool Linen.

The back...I found the fabric at JoAnn's and I had the ribbon on-hand (I think from Stampin' Up!).

The inside...not the prettiest, I know.  But since I don't know how to sew, I was kind of pleased that it even turned out.  Glue can work miracles!  (Just don't get it wet, Mom.)

 I had the plastic cover leftover from when I made several covers with my stamping supplies several years ago.  I can't even remember where I got it!

For my own Mother's Day, I barely got a decent photo of me and my boys.  Hopefully they'll cooperate better when they are older!  But my hubby gave me a great day - new jewelry boxes (since the other one he gave me for my very first Mother's Day was ruined during our burglary three years ago) and a nice lunch out at my favorite local Mexican restaurant, Macayo's.

Hope everyone has a Happy Father's Day!  And for my fellow stitchers, it's IHSW weekend, too!  Happy Stitching to all of you!

Writer's Block

I think that I am unwittingly joining Wendy on her November blog sabbatical.  I did not intend to do this, but people -- I am tired!  and busy!!  (just like you are!!)

Not that I don't have things on my mind that I start writing out in my head (when are they going to invent the device that lets you just THINK something and ta-da! it's typed out for you?? I write my best blog entries in the shower!) (and just who are "they", anyway?  the people at Apple, probably...).

I am digressing.

See, this is how my brain has been going lately.

This is what happened in my brain yesterday afternoon:

"Let's see...okay, need to work on my Bible study..." (do that for a while...oh it's awesome!  we're in Hebrews right now.)

(little one comes up, needs something...off I go...then I remember the laundry in the dryer...)

"Okay, got the towels folded...I should do the dishes!"  (start doing those....boys decide they "need" chocolate milk..."

"Hey I'm thirsty too!  I'll have some iced water....oh I love the crushed iced in our freezer door!  I still feel like a rich lady to have this!!"  (guess what?  the ice is all blocked up and I spend 30 minutes trying to UNblock it...)

"oh - I accomplished something!  Now what was I doing?  Oh yes!  I wanted iced water....oh and there are those dishes over there....oh and there is my Bible study....and now Sam wants some crackers..."


So now my brain is going into overload, because Bryan and I stayed up too late (again) the night before and I am totally "draggin' tail" (as Bryan puts it) and I skipped lunch (again) so now I'm both tired AND hungry.

And I've still not re-scheduled my Christmas card class that I've postponed twice already.  It's a good thing these ladies are my friends, not just my customers, or I'd be in trouble.

So, dear friend, if you are still reading this....

you now know why I cannot seem to get a post published.

Except that I did one just now.

God is so good -- let me share with you one thing that is sticking in my head, among all the craziness that is NOT sticking:

"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess."  (Hebrews 3:1)


I love this idea of "fixing your thoughts" -- like in Hebrews 12:2: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."


So though I'm random and all over the place...Jesus is anchoring me down.  Praise Him!!!  Who knows where I'd float off to??

Okay, now to get out of my jammies and ready for lunch with a dear friend -- and then off to that Christmas card class that my friends have been so patiently waiting for.

And for the first time, I am participating in the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend -- though with all my activities today I'm not very "hermit-y".  But I'll hermit down tonight after the kiddos are in bed!  I need to post some photos of what I'm working on.  I've got about four different "small" holiday projects that I want to do.

More on that later.  I've got to get out of my jammies!!

Happy Weekend!!

Five Things Friday - You Know You're a Mom When...

1.  You eat your child's slobbered-on leftovers without thinking twice about it.

2.  You find yourself telling your husband that you have to "go pee-pee".

3.  When digging for your wallet in your purse at the cash register, you find a lost pacifier and a diaper before you find your wallet.

4.  When you are finally able to sink down into your bed at night, you get jabbed in the back by a monster truck toy.

5.  You find yourself actually enjoying a telemarketing call because it means talking to another adult.



Not that any of these things have ever happened to me...I thought these up all by myself...



Okay, so maybe they've all happened.


Once.


Or twice.


I can't remember.

A Happy Mother's Day

This year I was very proud of myself -- I got cards made and mailed out on-time! Both of our mothers live out-of-state, and this year I made a card for my sister, too. Now primarily when I make cards -- actually all the time -- I stamp them. I love to scrapbook and stamp, and by the quantity of supplies in our office area, it's obvious. We call it the office/craft area, actually. But lately I'm returning to my first craft, cross-stitching. My mother taught me how to stitch when I was about seven years old, and I've always loved it. Throughout my life (I'm 34 now) I've had a project going. I think college was when I had to set it all aside, just temporarily. And then when I started having babies, I slowed down a lot on my stitching. Now that the baby is 21 months old, I'm finding more time to work it in. (along with my scrapbook hobby and business)

So I thought it fitting to make my first real "return" project for my mom, and I was tickled to find use for some DMC Satin Floss that I'd bought some years ago, and of course stitch it in her favorite color, purple (which happens to be my favorite too!). Also I found the design in a back-issue of Cross-Stitch and Needlepoint magazine (I'd been subscribing with the hopes of using it), in the May 2010 issue. Here's a close-up.

Recently I've been adding to my cross-stitch stash, and have several projects lined up that I can't wait to start! But I need to finish some others that have been patiently waiting for me. One is for my mother -- some pansy coasters that I started about three years ago. I am nearly finished with 2 of the 4 that I want to make. I'm hoping that now that my Bible study is wrapping up for summer, I'll have more time in the evenings to stitch! I have been discovering new designers and am so excited to try their patterns...The Sampler Girl (LOVE her Jane Austen designs!)...Country Cottage Needleworks (a local Tucson designer!)...Lavendar and Lace (beautiful Celtic ladies). There are many others, but my boys are getting rowdy and I need to go investigate. :)

But I owe this wonderful and fulfilling hobby to my mother!! Thanks for being patient enough with me as a little girl to teach me this lifelong craft!


Here is a photo of my mother with Sam. This was last Thanksgiving in Wichita.