I am so blessed.

"A blessed thing it is for any man or woman

to have a friend, one human soul who

we can trust utterly, who knows the best

and worst of us, who loves us in

spite of all our faults."

Charles Kingsley

I think blogges and crafters are just such friends that accept us as we are. In blogs you can tell your thoughts and share a little bit of lives to others. I do so enjoy reading blogs and learning all about you. OK sometimes I get a abit behind but I am still here. Still trying to adjust to my new life God has chosen for us.

Tricia from The Stampers Stitching is one of the those kind bloggers. She also goes by the name Mrs. Graceworks. I was extremely fortunate to have recieved a wonderful package from her in the Christmas exchange. If you do not follow her blog she not only does cross stitch but she makes the most beautiful handmade cards. What a surprise it was when a package arrived from her. It included several of her lovely cards for me. She also included the cutest little journal she made for my niece Anna. How special we both felt. Tricia said when she was a teacher each student had a journal they could leave her with questions they didn't want to ask out loud and she would answer back, sometimes asking a questins her self. Anna and I look forward to answering each other questions.

How do you spend your mornings? Mine use to be getting up early and getting some housework done and then enjoying myself stitching. I still get some stitching done just not as much as I would like. I have been stitching the apron in a piece that seems like it is taking me forever to get done.  I am also in the process of emptying out my craft room to make room for Anna's things.

I have not told you much about Anna's past but lets just say it is not a life a child should have lived. Her parents taught her no responsibilities are asked nothing much of her. She is use to doing what she wants when she wants. She has been very good about learning the boundries or our home. She told me the other day I know you are strict but now I understand and it's ok. She came from a home where they never ate together and all her meals were in her less than clean room. She loves eating at the table with all of us and her table manners have improved tremendously. Her grade have even gone up. Because she came from no rules she did what she wanted she many times was just bored and colored on just about anything. Usually with markers. So this now gets to how I spent my morning. Instead of stitching I spent the morning trying to get marker streaks out of a American Girl doll's hair. She does love her dolls and we are now learning the proper way to take care of them. I scrubed the dolls skin with Comet (OK don't recommend this beauty treatment to all of you) washed her hair and conditioned it. Got most of the marker out. For you info yellow and green come out a lot easier then pink marker. I did have to dip a Q-tip in bleach and get most of that out. After a comb out and a small trim this is my mornings success.

Once her hair dries I suppose I should get her dressed again. It is kind of fun playing with dolls again after so many years of them packed away. My favorite growing up was Barbies, what was yours?

We had our first court date and everything went wonderful. We just have to be bonded. They don't want us running off with all her money. What money I ask? We have not gone through probate so who knows what money will be left. Oh well that's our court system. The judege did say this is a real quardianship case where both parents have passed. He said mostly he sees kids being taken away from parents.

Thank you again for all your support. I am still out here and trying my best to keep up with blogs.

Always keep love in your stitches,

Teresa





Such Kindness

" Tell the Lord how thankful you are,

because He is kind and always merciful."

Psalm 118:1

Such kindness has been been given to me and I am most thankful. First Karen from Sew Much 2 Luv sent me and and my niece Anna the most thoughtful gifts. She sent me a cute little pillow with a stitching angel on it. I just love how she has labels with her blog that she attaches to her goodies. Karen does the cutest sewing on her blog with lots of fun things for her grandkids. She was so very kind to include an adorable pink owl purse for Anna. She was so excited to get her first mail at our house. She said she was going to put her tissues and lip gloss in her bag. Remember when that was all the important stuff you needed to put in your purse and you were ready to go.

You can't tell but the card says "anything is possible". I have to believe that.

Thank you so much Karen for your overwheming kindness.

I participated again in the Stitched With Love Exchange. Thank you Lainey for another wonderful exchange.

I was so lucky to recieve a wonderful package full of goodies from Catherine at Bramblewood Stitches.

Not only was my exchange piece adorable but was stitched in my favorite color, pink.
Catherine really went out of her way to make the package special. She included lots of patriotic fabric and some scissors to add to my wonderful growing collection. She also included some fun school themed note paper. She included a wonderful new pattern with all the threads for it. Lots of cute buttons and linens were also enclosed. Thank you so much for spoiling me.

I sent my package to Shannon of My Little Stitching Blog.

I really have enjoyed participating in the exchanges. I am afraid this next one I will have to sit out. We will be out of town for awhile and I won't have time to get a package together.

I did manage to get a few pictures taken of some of the stuff I did and received at camp.

 Each night we were given some goodies at our door. The first night we received this lovely Vera Bradley bag and notebook.

The next night we received a Vera Bradley little box and nail file. Also included was a Silver Needle thread holder, painted magnet and patterm.

How spoiled were we. We also received 4 projects we could work on. I only got two of them done. First was a little fabric holder with a Lizzy Kate pattern we could use to stitch something on the band.

I still need to get some cording around my scissor fob.

We each recieved a kit to make these cute paperclips. I was lucky to get this teacher set. I will be giving them to my daughter and possibly making more now that I will be buying teacher gifts again in my future.

The other projects we received was for a block finish. We got the pattern and all the materials to make it into a block. I really learned alot about putting one together. Now we will have to see if I ever get one done. The other project was a lovely wooden pin cushion from Sudberry. I didn't care for the pattern we were to stitch for it so I am looking thru my stash for a different pattern.

I took all the girls at the camp a card with my blog and a homemade heart counting pin along with a See's sucker.

I have had so much kindness given to me not just in packages but from prayers and comments. I am truely thankful for them all. I am slowing getting back to a normal blog reading routine and leaving a few comments.  An udate on my niece, she is staying with us on weekends for now until school is out and with MIL during the week. She is very excited about coming to live with us. She said "Aunt Teresa I know you are strick but I understand now why you are and it's OK". We have our first court date on May 2 nd.  In 52 years I have never seen a lawyer before much well gone before a judge. I really don't have a fear on the background check we are really a boring normal family. Hopefully there won't be too many hoops they want us to jump thru. Thank you again for all your support.

Always keep love in your stitches,
Teresa



Heartfelt Thank You

"The best exercise for strengthening

the heart is reaching down and lifting people up."

Ernest Blevins

I can not begin to thank you for the wonderful inspiring comments you left after my last post. I am now trying to get back into my so called normal life. I read some blogs today for the first time in over three weeks. I think I am just going to have to start over there is no way I can go back and get caught up. My niece is on spring break so we got her the Tuesday morning after I returned from my camp Monday night. We will have her until Monday morning when I take her back to school. Since school is a bit of a drive in traffic she stays with MIL during the week and we get her on Friday afternoon's until Monday mornings. This will only last until the first of June when school is out.  We just hate to take her out of her school so close to the end. She is excited about coming to live with us full time and even looks forward to going to a new school and having a fresh new start.

Speaking of fresh new starts, going to camp with Pam was just the fresh start I needed.  What a wonderful time I had with Pam getting away and hiding from reality. The Silver Needle in Tulsa was a fabulous shop. I had no trouble spending my two gift certificates I got for Christmas plus more.  Here are some pictures of inside the store.

This is Lindy the shop owner and Mona her finishing expert along with Pam and me.

Here are a few picture of where we spent our wonderful relaxing time stitching.

This was Pam and my table where we shared with 3 lovely ladies.

This was the view from the window.

On Friday night we went to a Amish farm where they prepared a delicious meal for all of us, about 36.

Here are some scenes around the farm.

And I thought I couldn't go braless any more!

This is us coming home from the dinner. We stitched in the big room that looks over the lake and at the other end was bunk style rooms we stayed in. OK I had the top bunk, not good when you have to get up in the night to visit the bathroom.

I don't have pictures yet of the projects we did and the goodies we received. I will post those next week after spring break when I get my stitching room back.

Thank you again for all the wonderful support you have given me in this time in our lives. Your kind words really meant a lot to me as I was struggling with this decision to bring in a young person this time in our lives. I have truly surrounded myself with such compassion and kindess with bloggers and crafters.

"As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselfs with compassion, kindness, humilty,

gentleness and patience."

Colossians 3:12

Have a wonderful Easter. Always keep love in your stitches,

Teresa





I'm not gone.

"Give thanks in all circumstances:

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalanians 5:18

I have had to be away from blog land for while, not by choice but by circumstances beyond anyone's control. In December I told you about the death of my husband's sister. She was 51 and died from cancer. She left behind a 10 year old daughter that I have been helping her father with. A small background is the child is a lovely girl but has never in her life been made to do anything and therefore knows no responsibilities. Her dad has taked the loss of his wife not well and really hasn't done much in the last three months. To our great sadness a week ago he died of a heart attack. So for the last week our family has just been so numb and overwhelmed. It looks as if my whole life will now be given a great challenge. There is no other choice for the child but to come and live with us. Keep in mind my kids are 27 and 25 so it has been a while since I have had a small one and especially one with such great loss in her life. So for right now we are trying to keep  above the water and not sink. I have not read a blog in over a week and believe me I miss it terribly. I am not going away from blog land but it may be awhile before I am back on regular.

I do  owe a couple of thank yous. Pam from Crossroad of my mind passed on a pattern to me. Thank you Pam.

The last exchange I sent to Edit - Fuggosegeim. In the package I sent her a lot of my Aida cloth that I will not be using. She graciouly sent me a wonderful thank you gift of some delightful tea and stitched me a lovely little banner. Thank you so much Edit. I have manage to sip a couple of cups of tea to help calm me down.

Sorry I can not get it to stop being sideways.

"My friends, you must do all you can to show that God has

really chosen and selected you. If you keep on doing this,

you won't stumble and fall."

2 Peter 1:10

I have to believe God has put this innocent little girl into our care for a reason. I do have a strong faith and a wonderful loving family and know it will be my job to pass this love on to her.

Pam and I are still leaving next week for our cross stitch camp in Tulsa, OK. My family says I need a break before all this becomes permanent. Pam said if I teach her to cross stitch that means I can have double the stash. I like her thinking the only problem is she will have to have the room all my stash is in and I will have to find a new place for it.

Know I am thinking of all of you and sorry I am missing keeping caught up with your lives. Give me a  bit and I will be back to reading soon.

Always keep love in your stitches,

Teresa





We have a winner!

" If winning isn't everything,

why do they keep score?"

Vinve Lombardi

Sorry it has taken me a couple of days to post the winner of the project folder. First let me thank all you who took the time to leave a comment. I wish I could sew up a folder for all of you.

I used the random generator and here is the name it came up with.

Carol B - Stitching 'n Stashing

Congratulations to Carol. When I get your address it will go out into the mail.

Always keep love in your stitches.

Teresa

I've been busy finishing.

"Focus on the journey,

not the destination.

Joy is found not in finishing an activity

but in doing it."

Greg Anderson

I have been busy getting some more projects from my January basket finished. It has been so much easier having several pieces all ready to stitch. In the past I would search through the old stash looking for what I wanted to do next.  With several projects all kitted up makes it so nice.

My first piece wasn't part of my basket of  projects it was the other pendant Pam had sent me from her Shephard's Bush trip. It just had to come first before my other projects.  I can't wait to wear this at my trip to stitching camp next month.

My next project was a piece I bought last year after the Nashville show. I put off doing it because I didn't like the pink linen I had. At the fall retreat Pam and I went to Yankee Cross Stitch and I found a pink in the remnant box just perfect for my Just Nan Butterfly pin keep.

I finally was able to finish all the green grass in "Bunny Hop". Seems like I had been working on this piece forever.

When I take a picture sitting on the floor this is what really happens behind the scenes.

I purchased this Shephard's Bush kit at the retreat in the fall. It was a fun piece to stitch. I really liked the colors. The light teal and pinks just made me happy as I stitched. It also helped that it was a scissor fob, my favorite. The scissors are a pair I bought at retreat.

The first Thursday of the month our church hosts a dinner for seniors. I do the centerpieces each month and my daughter serves the dinners. She loves a apron for each month. I also finished this St. Patricks Day apron for her to wear.

Isn't she so cute modeling it in front of our orange tree. The poor little branches are overflowing. She picked a box after this picture and took them home and make lots of fresh orange juice. If you need some oranges come on over.

Well that's what has been keeping me busy and out of trouble. I also finished my retreat project but don't have any pictures yet. Don't forget my follower thank you give away ends tomorrow night.

Always keep love in your heart,
Teresa









I'm One Today !

"I would thank you from the bottom of my heart,

but for you my heart has no bottom."

Arthur Unknown

OK birthday wise you can guess I'm not one, but blog wise I am one today. One year ago today I started blogging. What a wonderful year it has been. Nataly is the one who encouraged me to start blogging. I started following her blog right before my first retreat. I am so happy I took her advise. I can not tell you how special all of you are with your wonderful comments. I love reading all of your blogs, sorry I don't always comment but I do read a lot each day (or most days). I have learned so much, especially in how to finish a piece and new ideas. I have participated in several exchanges that have been so fun and special. I just can't thank you enough for being there when my family was experiancing a loss. Your kinds words meant so much to me.

I would like to thank all my followers with a special give away. I received a pattern from Deborah - Cranberry Samplings to make a project folder.

 

It is a tri-fold pouch that can hold your pattern and stitching. I would like to give this away to one of my followers. Since this is a "Thank You" give away, it is open to my current followers. All you need to do is comment on this post before midnight March 1 PST. Who knows maybe something extra will be added to the give away.

"A friend is someone who reaches for your hand

and touches your heart."

Arthur Unknow

 

Thank you so much for a wonderful and exciting first year. I look forward to many more to come.

 

Always keep love in your stitches,

Teresa