A Special Day...

Today, August 27th is a very special day for Wayne and I, forty-two years ago, around 5p.m., Gordon Wayne came into this world. He was born in Joplin and weighed in at 4 pounds 15 ounces, and dropped to 4 pounds. He had to spent a few extra days in the hospital after I came home. Looking at the photo below, you would never know he was that small. Gordon joined the US Air Force in October 1985, he was 18 years old, and will be retiring from the AF next year. Wayne and I are very proud of what Gordon has accomplished with his life in the military. He has traveled the world, received his Bacholar's Degree and his Master's Degree, been in unsafe places, and is now stationed in Germany. His wife, Tammy is there with him and is a very special DIL to us.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GORDON and may you have many more.

Love you both,
MOM

I'm back....again

Hello Dear Friends,



Well, I'm back, after several months of health issues and whatever, but we won't go into all that. But after having surgery, I must say I am doing better.



The weather here has turned Fall like, cooler evernings and early mornings, with the temps rising greatly in the afternoons. I love Fall with all its many colors, sunflowers, pumpkins, and black cats! We have the windows open with the cool breezes blowing through. The mornings are wonderful, as I can sit on my pation with my morning coffee, listen to the birds sing and watch our two dogs play in the yard.



I've been stitching Fall/Halloween designs from LHN, The Samper Girl, primitivebettys, Stacy Nash, Brittercup Designs, and Jenny Hoffman. Stacy Nash has a new Halloween booklet out full of Halloween pinkeeps, which I will be ordering today. I love the primitive look, they are fun, easy designs to stitch. I don't have any photo's to show today, but will have in a day or so, as I need to take the time to put finishes on what I have stitched.



Yesterday, I purchased the new Debbie Macomber Cedar Cove book #9, 92 Pacific Boulevard. I've read this entire series and have really enjoyed it. I also purchased her new Cedar Cove Cookbook. I do read cookbooks from cover to cover. I don't always make many dishes in them, but they make great reading for me.



Wayne and our are planning a few days trips for this Fall. One is to the Wilder Festival at Mansfield, MO. This is where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived and penned her Little House books. I loved those books and still read them from time to time. Of course, we will also venture down to Branson and Silver Dollar City a few times this Fall.



Until next time, Blessings to All,

Barbara

Happy St. Pat's Day!

May you blessings

outnumber The Shamrocks

that grow. And may

trouble avoid you wherever

you go.

~Irish Blessing

The Merry Month of March.......

I can't believe March is already here....but March brings many things for us. The first day of Spring, my hubbies birthday, my mom's birthday, our grandson's birthday, my step-dad's birthday, and the birthday of two nephews, phew, a full month of birthdays. March also brings the start of planting season for some flowers and vegetables. And, we have St. Pat's day in March and the wearing of the green!


Frist I have a photo of my DH, who will celebrate 70 years young this year (don't tell him I told). Wayne and I met at Crowder College here in Neosho, taking speech class. We were married in May of 1965. The photo shows him with our two dogs, Fred and Maggie Mae. This photo was taken last summer (and I think I posted it last summer also).




Now..for some stitching.

The is a design by Heidi at www.needlenecessities.blogspot.com. This is the design she shared for the month of February. I love the way this turned out. For the handle I simply cut strips of the backing fabric and braided them. Each of these designs will be hung on my Christmas tree this year. I am very anxious to see the next one, which she will post on March 15. These are quick easy designs to stitch up and I do stitch them up quickly, but my problem is getting things finished. As you can probably guess I would rather stitch than finish!

The first photo is the front and the next photo is the back of this very cute design.





You can click on any of the photo's to enlarge them.

I hope each of you have a Merry Month of March also.

Blessings,
Barbara

An unusual tree...........

On the west end of our house we have (had) a rain tree. The winters the last couple of years have taken a tole on the tree. When it bloomed in the spring and summer it was beautiful. However, this past fall we had to have the tree cut back, so we don't know what will happen with the tree when spring arrives and blooming season starts. We are hoping it will come back.

In the meanwhile, we were at Silver Dollar City, in Branson during the Christmas season and they had an unusual tree, so we kind of copied their idea.

This tree is called, "An Ozark Hillbilly Wind Chime Tree". We have just hung old items on the tree. As you probably suspect, we get lots of comments about our "unusual" tree!




Click on the picture to see a close up.

Blessings,
Barbara

Stitching in January...........

I did quite a bit of stitching during the month of January and the following is what I stitched up and put a finish on.

This first design is by Heidi, www.needlenecessitites.blogspot.com. Heidi is a wonderful, caring person. She quilts, makes lace, cross stitches, and now she is designing a few cross stitch items. This was the design she made for December for her home. I am very pleased with the way mine turned out. I hope Heidi is also. You can see the front and back below. I have it hanging in my setting area and simply love it. Thank you so much Heidi. When are we going to get another design? This was a free design by Heidi.








This next design was a freebie from Betty of primitivebettys. My DH has his grandfathers old pocket watch and I thought this would work very well next to it. I love Betty's designs. I did the back in a dark green fabric and love it also.





The next photo is a design by Jenny Hoffman, Country Rustic Primitives. It also was a freebie and you can see the stitched design and the backing I put on it. The fabric on back was a gift from Nancy, www.knittingpathsof life.blogspot.com
She is also Heidi's Mom. OOPS, this is not a free design. I ordered it from PatternMart as an email pattern. Sorry!






This next design is also a freebie, but for the life of me I can't remember who designed it. I love all patrotic designs (our son is in the military, as most of you know). I did not make the pillow, it was one I purchased and you just slip the stitched design in it the opening.




This following design is also by primitiviebettys, another freebie. Here again I did not make the banner. I just slipped the stitched design into it. Very simple!




Now, this next design is the January pinkeep from Maryse in France. She is doing a different pinkeep design each month during this year. She has already posted February's design and it is a very cute heart shape. So I need to start on this new one, so I don't get too far behind.




I have also joined the group on, fortheloveofstitching, that Tanya leads. Several of us are doing a Christmas SAL of ornaments and this was my January ornament. We can stitch any Christmas or Holiday design we want. Maybe by Christmas I will have 12 new designs as we started this in December, 2008. Here again, I did not make the banner.



I hope you have enjoyed sharing my stitching pieces with me. You can click on any of them to enlarge. Please feel free to leave a comment for me.

Happy Stitching,
Blessings,
Barbara

February....

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home."
~ Edith Sitwell


"Away in a meadow all covered with snow
The little old groundhog looks for his shadow
The clouds in the sky determine our fate
If winter will leave us all early or late."
~ Don Hailey

Blessings,

Barbara