long time no post

things have been hard here for the past 9 months, but it looks like life will improve soon. am hoping to get back to posting by Thanksgiving.

chapter 74, saying goodbye to a fur baby

My kitty died tonight. We just got back from the pet er. she was fine all day, then suddenly she came downstairs, went into convulsions, and that was it. We rushed her to the vet, but there was nothing that could be done. My Nicholas is heartbroken. He is the one who held her wrapped ina towel as we rushed to the vet. It broke my heart to hold him as he cried over our Emily. What do you say to a 13 year old boy? All I wanted to do was hold him and make it all better. The whole time holding myself in check so I didn't fall apart in front of him, knowing I will cry tonight, and tomorrow as I clean up her litter box and her dishes. I am glad we were with her at the end, and that she did not go through it alone, or while we were asleep. I am thankful for the time we had with her. I know she will be waiting for us, and is with other loved ones, but the pain of losing a furbaby is still tough to bare. Emily will be missed. She was a very sweet and loving kitty.

Chapter 73, snow, baby animal blocks and BCQC square

First lets get the pics in.
The first is my BCQC block. not great, but shows promise. My next block/project will be better


Then we finally have the finished baby animal quilt squares. They were started over 5 years ago. I have worked on them off and on. One of those projects you start because you think you should, but don't really like. I am hoping to put them together with 30's fabric during my spring break

I am glad to have the baby animals done.
Now I can focus on my BHC work and my BCQC stuff. I have also picked up the "Year of The Wiener Girls" again.
and now to the snow. It snowed all day yesterday. We got about 9 inches. (as tall as the pommie) it is beautiful and I am hoping it means a snow day on Monday. I love to sit and stitch and sip hot tea and listen to/watch my shows (Dr. Who, Dexter, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, Demons, Bones)

Chapter 72, Cats will deflate your ego

I sat in my chair last night, working on my seam treatments for my BCQC, thinking I was doing a beautiful feather stitch. Quite possibly the most perfect feather stitch ever done by a newbie, one sure to get praise from my mentor (clue one, pride) and as I stitched, I would stop to admire my beautiful work and stroke my pretty little purring kitty who was curled belly up in my lap (enough said about clue two!) and as I finished the seam, thinking, "gee, I didn't realize feather stitching took so much thread, I wonder why?" I turned the piece over and discovered why. or at least I tried to turn the piece over. It seems darling purring kitty and caught the thread way back at the beginning of the stitch and made a huge loop that she was playing with and had her paws tangled in, and had also managed to catch a loop in the middle. While I do appreciate the fact that Miss Emily Kitty wants to help me work, and was saving me from my own pride, I was not happy. (darling Pommie just looked at me from his spot next to me in the chair, and I almost swear he was smirking at me.) So I sighed, untangled the kitty from the back of my block (she never did stop purring) and picked out the seam. sighs. I had been such a perfect seam. So Emily reminded me to be humble (and that if I was going to be dumb enough to stitch with a cat in my lap, I had check the back of my work every three stitches or so, to undo the loops kitty made) and that I will not die if I have to undo a seam treatment. And while the redone seam is not as nice as it was the first time, it still looks okay. Nothing like a kitty to keep you humble. I will post pics tonight or tomorrow. (I have to find the camera LOL)

Chapter 71, working with red

I joined the red color study round robin getting ready to start in one of my groups. I was a little nervous as when we did the blue color study, my block (and one other block from our group) was kept by someone/disappeared. We tried e-mailing the person who had them, and I was told someone had tried calling them, but it was as if they had dropped off the face of the earth, and two blocks from our group went missing. I was angry at first, then sad, as I had seen m block and so much beautiful work had been done on it. But forgiveness won out, and I figure that maybe she needed something pretty in her life right then and our two blocks were it. The color study hostess made and sent us new blocks and mine was beautiful. This time we are doing red. Red makes me think of grandma. I ordered a packet of reds from Miss Judyth (who is soooo awesome! I just love her!) and she sent the most beautiful fabrics. My mentor, Shari (Who has taught me so much and really made me look at my work, and has become like my favorite on-line buddy in the world) has offered to help should I get stuck on putting it together and embellishing seams as blocks come to me. I really need to get the stitchmap button up on my blog. They are my second family. There is so much encouragement and knowledge there. And everyone is so helpful and caring. I can't even begin to list all the wonderful people there, as I would be afraid of leaving someone out. but back to the red color study. I couldn't sleep last night, due to the family issues going on. Grandma's sister, Aunt Bonnie, was buried yesterday. I won't go into details other than to say I think Aunt Bonnie's children should be so ashamed of themselves, and I don't see how they can live with themselves. I hope they get back tenfold the pain and selfishness they have spread. again back to block. Red is grandma's favorite color. So I thought I would do this round robin block for her, then turn it into a pillow or frame it and send it to her for her birthday in November. Grandma loves gypsies, and gold, and Gypsy dancers. Not how to get that across on a block. My other thought was that Miss Judyth sent enough fabric to make two blocks. maybe I should send out the round robin one and see what comes back, and just work on one for grandma on my own. I know if I asked for advice from Shari, Lyn, Miss Ruby, Miss Judyth, and all the other wonderful women over on stitchmap they would have a lot of great advice. hmmm. Maybe tonight or tomorrow I will e-mail and ask for some advice and help. I think right now grandma really needs something special.

Chapter 70, The New Year

Well, we are almost half way through the first month of the year. I have spent the last 12 days thinking about what I want to accomplish this year. I have also joined OPOM (One Project a Month) where we strive to complete one WISP a month, and keep track of it. I was going to list all my "plans" on the side of the blog, but my plan list is 6 note book pages long, so I have renamed it "my creative hopes for 2010" even though I know that I would have to complete 4 projects a week to complete the list, and the list only contains new projects, not any of the WISPs I have. LOL . So my main creative goal for this year is that I will not start something new until I have finished one WISP. Which probably means I will finish a few WISPs, but will just be replacing them with new ones. Oh well. I am slowly making progress on my BHC doily and my BCQC projects. I am hoping to get pictures taken tonight or tomorrow to post. My shoulder really slows me down, as I have lost so much mobility in my right arm, that it takes me three times as long to get anything done. Oh well. I am going to just keep plugging along. The good news is they have finally, after almost 6 months, figured out what is wrong with my arm, I have a pinched nerve at C5 in my neck? not sure what any of that means, but it is nice to know what is wrong!

Chapter 69, Prince Charming

Two posts in one day! and on Christmas!!!
but as I sat here, surfing for ideas for my handwork, I wanted to share some about my Prince Charming. I truly feel God blessed me when He brought Anthony into my life. When I call Anthony my Prince Charming, I mean it with all my heart. Anthony has all the qualities I have always wanted and searched for. I watch and listen to friends who are always hunting for the "perfect" man and I try and tell them they need to decide what they really want, but that is not want they want to hear. So many woman today focus on money, possessions and looks. These are very poor things to base love on. So Here is a list of all the wonderful things about my Prince charming:
1. He works. He goes to work when he is supposed to, very rarely calls in, and works overtime when it is offered.
2. He always comes home to me from work. (No partying, or going out with the boys)
3. We are comfortable in silence. We don't have to chatter or entertain each other, but can sit together in the same room and be happy just being near each other.
4. We are friends, best friends.
5. We do things together. Simple things like running to the store for something, going for a drive, sitting on the porch watching it rain. but we do them together.
6. We show an interest in the hobbies and interests of each other. I have learned to watch baseball and football, and Anthony has learned to go into craft and yarn stores. He even surprises me with craft supplies that he finds on freecycle or at the fleamarket.
7. We know our strengths and our weaknesses. Anthony and I both know that I should not handle money or bills (if I were in charge of the money we would live in a huge pile of fabric and yarn out in a corn field as we would not have any money left to pay our bills) and we both know I am better suited for the grocery shopping and cooking. Not based on gender rolls, but based on what we are good at and enjoy doing. He spoils me with fabric and thread, I spoil I'm with oatmeal raisin cookies and other goodies.
8. We truly love each other and know that love is work, not just a feeling. This is one of the things so many people forget. You have to work at love, and at being in love. if you do not work at it, you lose it.
9. We know we are safe with each other. Secrets, Hopes, dreams, all these things are shared and kept just between us. No laughing, no putting down. Just sharing and acceptance.
10. I think he is the most handsome man in the world, an he thinks I am the most beautiful woman in the world. Both of us know how lucky we are, and truly appreciate what we have in each other.

While I have learned that life is not perfect, and things do not always go as planned, I have also learned that a man who understands my obsession with fabric and threads, my devotion to the Pommie, and my need for a crafting kitty is a very rare find. So no matter what I say, Anthony is the best gift I have ever been given for Christmas or any other holiday. (but don't tell the Pommie!) So I hope all enjoy their gifts and their loved ones.