My Jaime

Jaime is my oldest daughter. She was 35 years old on July 6th. I can hardly believe 35 years has gone by already.
She lives in Virginia so we had to do our celebrating by phone and Skype. Happy Birthday sweetheart. I wish I was there to eat some birthday cake with you. We will celebrate when we see you again which hopefully God willing won't be too long.
Here she is just 2 years old, not the best picture I have of her but I love it. I remember taking it like yesterday. She was crying and fussy that day and I tried to make her smile by taking her picture but you can see it didn't work. LOL

Happy Birthday America

Happy Fourth of July to all!! I couldn't wait to post today just so I could share a picture of this framed piece with you. This is My Offering, I stitched it last year and finally had it framed.
I have not had anything framed in a very long time so I am so excited about this piece and to have it just in time for the 4th of July. Almost like getting a birthday present. Hope you like it as much as I do. I think the framer did a great job.

July 1st

I know Summer began last week officially but to me it starts today. July 1st. 1/2 of the year gone already and this is the start on my countdown for the rest of the year which happens to be my favorite part, loads of birthdays, lots of summer fun, the start of a new school year, Autumn, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas of course. Isn't it great thinking of all that fun stuff yet to come.

I haven't had much time to blog or do much of anything in the way of fun. Life has been very busy and trying. This will be the first summer that I am not working and I am taking a much needed summer off. My vacation started off with a bang, a very big bang. Our much loved pool is no more. The other day while 2 of my grandchildren and my sil Donnie were in the pool, one side of the pool collapsed. 15,000 gallons of water all over the yard. It even destroyed a little playhouse of my granddaughters. Wow that water was strong, it moved our lower level deck stairs. Thank God no one was hurt. My sil got my grandchildren out of the pool so fast, thank God.

This is Tyler right before it broke:

I contacted our insurance company and an adjuster has been to see the wreckage but we still have no idea what will be the outcome, we are waiting to hear from them and I do hope it's with some good news. We have been pricing new ones and they are outrageously expensive.

My newest addiction is crocheting, I can't seem to put that hook down. I am working on a few different projects. It is so easy and almost mindless to just sit and do some crocheting. So much fun.
I have made a promise to myself to put a few strands of floss on my CHS Village every night of this summer. I am having a SAL with my friend Pat who is also working on the same piece. We have to check in on Sundays to see how far we got. So this Sunday I will be posting a picture of what I have done so far and hopefully some stitchy crocheting too.

I will close this post with something very sweet. Something that reminds me of summer also, hope you like it too.

when I go to the store and there are tons of strawberries and blueberries everywhere. They are all so yummy looking. I stocked up on both and I plan on trying my hand at making strawberry jam. That is if I have any strawberries left. LOL My grandchildren and I have been gobbling them up. I like to slice them up and throw some blueberries in the mix and then sprinkle sugar all over, toss them and sprinkle some more. Then refrigerate for a little while and they are just fantastic. This is also good as a for a topping on icecream too, or on a slice of pound cake, however you enjoy them, they are wonderful.

Till next time,
Sharon xoxoxox

I was determined to post today, being the last day of February. I am sitting down here with a nice large cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee and enjoying the warmth of it. i am soooo sick of the cold. I know we have more winter still to come but it does seem like its been so very long. Non stop snow and ice and freeze your fingers off temperatures. Brrrrr!! We have had so many snow days I am sure we are going to lose some of our summer vacation because of it.
I have been stitching a bit and want to share what I have done this month.

Not the greatest picture but this design is just so cute.
I plan on having a basket full of little pillows with birds on them. I think this red bird which is by Blackbird Designs is just so sweet. I just ordered the new BBD book and I am so anxious to get it and see what goodies its filled with. Barb and Alma sure know how to put some wonderful designs together.
This past Valentine's Day I stitched this Little House design for my husband Ray for a gift. I am putting it inside a mirror that I bought from Sudberry Designs. It fits perfectly but I haven't finished stretching and pinning it yet. Yep I am framing it myself. Daring aren't I? LOL I need to pick up more pins this week so I can get it done. I will be sure and share a picture whenits all framed.

My husband liked it a lot and he was happy to see me stitching so much this month. I had lost my stitching MOJO for a little while there but its back and I am so glad.
I still am doing my crocheting, I made my girls all pretty little washcloths that I have to say are the nicest to wash with. They are called Spa cloths and they came out so nice. I added two little heart shape soaps. I need to take some individual pics of them but this was how I wrapped and gave to my children. Aren't they sweet and valentiny looking. :)

Here is the view from my sewing/craft table. Wanted you to see my very pretty snow filled trees outside of the window. We planted those trees when they were about 2 ft high, now they are huge and so very pretty, especially covered with snow.

Goodnight for now. Sending all my readers, hugs and many thanks for visiting my blog.

Couldn't let another day go by without wishing everyone a very Happy New Year.

All evening I have been thinking of something interesting I can blog about or some pictures I can post but I just can't think of anything really special right now. The past months have flown by, so many things have happened that have kept me busy and away. I have read somewhere that whatever you are doing on New Years Eve at midnight, thats what you will be doing for the rest of the year. I plan on sitting down and bringing in the New Year with some crosstitching in hand, so if there is any truth to that saying 2011 will be a great year of crosstitching for me. I have not been stitching much but this past week has found me working on CHS Village once again. I am determined to get it done in 2011. I have been crocheting a lot too. I made quite a few gifties and had so much fun with them. I have never enjoyed crocheting as much as I have been, I have been learning to read patterns. I honestly never could understand a crochet pattern and it seems I just wasn't being patient enough. I just love it now. I have so many ideas for things to make in this new year and I can't wait to share them.

God Bless all of you and Peace and Happiness for the New Year

Sharon xoxoxox

Tis The Season

for pumpkins. I love them. They are everywhere. I found this pattern the other day on Gazette94. So many great ideas and designs on that blog. I saw this and I knew I had to stitch it right away.

it's really a little sweet pumpkin.


Work has been great. The past couple of days I have been waking up earlier and feeling so much better, and that needle is back in my fingers "look out world". Thank God, I have been in a creative funk for a long time but I think it has passed. I realize I just have to STAY OFF FACEBOOK. LOL Oh my goodness that is a time suck. Then I wonder why I dont have time to make all the things I want to make and I have lots of plans. I am so hooked on that Treasure Island. First it was fishville! Good Grief, I need to stop.
This past week was my husband's birthday, we didn't celebrate it yet, we are going to celebrate tomorrow. (Saturday) which just happens to be my granddaughter Tori's birthday. We are having a barbecue since the weather is still so nice and having friends and family over. It should be lots of fun. Tori is so excited that she is going to be 7. Oh to be 7 again. I walked through the toy department at Walmart and I swear I was taken back in time. What fun. I was a big time Barbie Girl. Really if you loved Barbie as a child, you need to check out the Barbie Aisles. They have all new stuff, all new fashions, more handsome looks to Ken. A swimming dog, OMG I couldn't stop oohing and ahhhing. Finally my daughter had to come search for me and drag me out of the Barbie Aisle. My granddaughter likes Barbies but not like I did, she likes a different type of fashion doll. From Monster High, some new show that they have dolls that look like barbies but are supposed to be a little scary. LOL One of the gifts I got her is a set of dolls from Monster High. Will take a picture of them tomorrow to share, they are a hoot. The girl is named Cleo De Nile daughter of the Mummy and the boy is Deuce Gordon Son of medusa. They are like KEWL monster teens. I know she is going to be thrilled with them, she has one already named DracuLaura. They actually just looked like teen dolls dressed up for Halloween. Crazy!!
I have no plans for Sunday except for maybe some more stitching and maybe taking a nice ride through our area to enjoy the leaves changing colors. They are just so pretty and I love taking pictures of them. I will be back soon. Thank you for being patient with me.
Have a good night everybody.
Love to all, Sharon xoxo

I've Been Hexed

and here is the proof...

Aren't they cute?
Well, like everybody else I am complaining about the same old thing, the summer went by way too fast, it was way too hot, or not hot enough. What happened to it?? It is already September for goodness sake. Labor Day weekend. It is back to work for me this coming week. I am looking forward to it, I have a couple meetings to go to before school starts and they are having a welcome back breakfast this coming Tuesday, it will be fun to see everyone and to see the children too on Wednesday which is the official first day of school.
The best part of the whole summer was that I got to spend some time with my dear sister friend Siobhan and her lovely family. We had a wonderful time together but as always it went way too fast. We did have fun, we always do, we did lots of yakking and catching up on things, we went out to eat to different restaurants. But the best was just sitting and chatting in Dunkin Donuts, we could sit there for hours and talk and talk. It is wonderful. I miss her so much already, and I am already counting the days till we can get together again. We rode all over Pennslyvania and Delaware. We visited some great Quilt stores. Siobhan has quilted quite a few beautiful quilts and she has convinced me to start one. OMG Okay I said it. I am quilting and I don't even think I know what I am doing. LOL But she did show me how to start so I think I got it. Of course next year she will have to show me how to finish because I have no idea. I found some great vintage children fabrics that reminded me so much of when I was a child. Aren't they sweet? I am in love with these sweet designs. I have so many more to make but that is okay, I love making them. I am already dreaming of other hexagon quilts I will make.
I also had to add to my crosstitch stash and yarn stash, we visited the Strawberry Sampler and spend a little time there with old friends. That was fun and we went to this yarn store in Old Forge that was wonderful. I never saw so many beautiful yarns I just wanted to dive in to all of them. Of course I had to buy some.
I bought this chart "I've Got your Love to Keep Me Warm" while at Strawberry Sampler and I have started it. This November my husband and I will be married 36 years, and I swear I was a child bride. :) so I am stitching this in honor of our anniversary. As I stitch it I can hear my mom singing this very song, she was always singing while working around the house. Now I am singing it while stitching.


Here are a few pics of my grandchildren enjoying the last days of summer.



Happy Labor Day weekend to all of you!!

Hi everybody, and a HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY to all of you.
This has always been a favorite pillow of mine that I stitched a few years back so I thought I would show it again to share with everyone. School ended a week ago and I have been trying to enjoy the week off I have in between jobs. Now here is it the 4th of July weekend already. Monday I go back to work at my Summer Recreation job.
This past Thursday my granddaughter Victoria finally had her tonsils and adenoids removed. It was difficult since they were abcessed and she is recovering now. She is on medication so she is not in too much pain, and antibiotics and she has had a mountain of ice pops and ice cream. My little lambchop she is resting right now and still feeling very poorly which is understandable but we are so relieved it is over. God willing this will help improve her health.
I have been having so much fun with my new passion, cotton yarn. OMG I can't stop playing with it. I have been making all sorts of things. One of my favorite items that I made were swiffer covers. I love that swiffer especially good for the doggy fur that tends to fly around everywhere, I swear my dogs shed enough to make more dogs. Those little cloths are very expensive. Now even the store brands are getting high in price. So I crocheted me a swiffer cover and darn if it doesn't work wonderful. I used the poor thing so much, flipped it over used it again, and now its in the laundry basket waiting to be washed. I am going to have to make myself a bunch since I use them every day. I wish I took a picture of it first. I did a demonstration for my daughters and now they all want them. LOL I also covered some sponges with crochet and they are wonderful. They clean so nice. I made a few more washcloths too. What fun I have been having. I still have loads of cotton yarn and still got some more ideas of things I want to make. My daughters said that they have a feeling one day I will be dressed in a crocheted cotton outfit from head to toe since I am having so much fun with it. LOL I am thinking of making little packages with a sponge a swiffer pad and maybe a washcloth or two for little gifts for friends. Maybe a bar of homemade soap as well.

Then to make a perfect closing for the week, I received a lovely package from a dear friend Melissa. What a special treat it is. The package was just a "Good Mail" package as she called it. Just so I would get some good and happy mail. Included was a handwritten letter which was so nice to receive. In this day of email and texts, how wonderful that she took the time to write me a lovely long letter. It was so nice. The filled with lots of goodies. Here is a picture of everything minus the bag of candy which is gone already. :)

Here are closeups of my stitched gifties, aren't they nice?


Have a Happy weekend everyone, and I hope you are all doing things that you enjoy. I plan on sitting down and doing some patriotic stitching to honor the birthday of our wonderful country. Tonight our town is having a fireworks display and we will be attending that. Can't wait. Take care all.

Sharon xoxo

Just 1 more day of school and my work is done. YIPPEE!! Well, done for 10 days then summer recreation starts. Our summer recreation is growing, so many more children joining and we are happy about that. I have been spreading the word about all the fun we have and what a great program it is and lots have been signing up for it.
Had to share this picture of the cherries from my cherry tree. They are just yummy and this was the first picking. We have been getting a basket daily from the tree and leaving some for the birds too. We also have a bird feeder in the shape of an acorn that has hung there for about 3 years. A bird has made a nest in there and the babies are just so sweet. While we were picking cherries mama bird came back and gave us all heck. Oh she was so mad at us, so we stopped picking so she could go and take care of the babies. So now we pick when we are sure she is done feeding so we don't bother her and her little family. Wish I could get them to peek their heads out for the camera so I can share a picture with everyone.

I started a giftie for someone special with that yarn I bought. I love how its coming out. It is going to be a shawl and I am loving this yarn. I am so glad that I got it. I went back and bought the last 10 skeins they had so I can make myself one for the autumn too. I was so sorry that I didn't pick up more when I first got it. They had it in all sorts of colors on clearance, but someone got to it before me. I guess I was lucky to get what I got. Anyway would love to hear your opinions, what do you think??

Just for the fun of it yesterday I stitched on some more wash cloths and came up with these 2.  Aren't they cute?  I love how bright they are.  I gave them today to my friend Roseann who loves bright colors like this.   They are just so summery and cheery.

I have been having trouble with blogger.  Can't add pictures like I use to, I changed the editor to the old way but it still won't work so I had to get a picasa account, and then upload these pics to Picasa.  Not too bad but I sure wish that it would be fixed.  I am sure there must be an easier way but I just have not figured it out yet.   Love to all, Sharon

Catching up...

Happy Flag Day everybody. Couldn't let another day go by without posting. I have missed posting more often then I do lately. Hopefully with the summer just around the corner I will have a bit more time to do that.
I just got back from a wonderful few days with my daughter Katie and her family. I had the most wonderful time. I got to spend lots of time with Katie and baby Anthony while Tony worked. I wish I could have stayed longer. We did lots of stuff, we worked on some Christmas gifts together. Katie and I are planning some handmade gifts for Christmas and we had lots of fun working on those projects. We took a ride to Vermont and we went out to eat at a nice restaurant named Carmady's. The best of it all was that we were all together and I enjoyed that so much. Baby Anthony is just so sweet and loving. He says a few words, not many but he is learning sign language very well. I am learning it too. We watched a video together that helps with learning sign language. But before the weekend was over he was calling me Nonna and I was able to sign eat, thank you, more, no more, and a sheep and a cow. LOL Do you think I need to learn much more?? LOL My heart would melt whenever I would hear Anthony say Nonna. What a doll baby he is. I can't wait to see him again.

I am in big trouble....
I have become hooked on crocheting. I don't know what has happened to me but I find myself dreaming of yarn, skeins of yarns, all sorts all colors and textures. I am longing to learn to do more then a double/single crochet stitch. I started working on a granny square blanket, a very colorful one.

I need to make lots more of those squares but I think this is a good start. Don't you? Now when I say colorful did I exaggerate? LOL I love them though.
I think I need some more color in my home. Maybe its my minds way of letting me know I need more color surrounding me. I went yesterday afternoon to AC Moores in Latham, NY and OMG they have a few rows of yarn that are just heavenly. I found myself like a kid in a candy store. I have an idea for a wrap I want to make for a gift. The yarn I was going to use was going to cost $120.00. So I decided to look for something that was less expensive in case I goofed up on this new adventure. I found a great looking yarn called Artisano and it was on clearance at $2.00 a skein there. So here it is, isn't it pretty, I hope I can make it the way I want. Wish me luck.

You know I need to stay out of craft stores. I need to stay as far away as possible. It was actually good that I went when I did because they were getting ready to close, so I didn't have too much time but I managed to get the yarn, get new needles, pick up a couple skeins of dmc that I needed but then I saw these stamps. Now I have not done any rubber stamping in a long time but I saw these and I just had to have them. I am such a weakling. SIGHHHHHHH, aren't they so cute.

I have no idea what I am going to do with them, but I had to have them. I think I am going to make some cards with them. I can't wait to color them, that is going to be fun.
Enjoy!! Sharon

It's Memorial Day once again, and lots of family gatherings, picnics and barbecues are going on. The official opening of pool, beach and summer fun. I hope that you will take a moment to remember the soldiers who have lost their lives fighting for all the things we have and enjoy. I don't mean to sound so gloomy but it just seems so strange that so many people drink and party on a day that is supposed to be for remembering so much loss of life. Whatever you do today I hope you have a wonderful day!

I don't have any crosstitching updates and that makes me sad. Has it been so long since I have crosstitched? I have been stitching but with a different fiber, lol crocheting. I have begun making granny squares for a happy blanket for my guest room. Yep, very happy. I have never in my life crocheted with such bright colors but I am enjoying it. I am craving color all of a sudden. I think it might be the results of such a long cold winter and a serious Vitamin D deficiency. All of a sudden I want lots more color in my home. Is there anyone else feeling like that?

A little over a week ago, my grandson Anthony got his tonsils and adenoids removed and had tubes put in his ears. He is just 18 months old now. What a time it was for him and the family. We felt so bad seeing him going through this. He has lost a lot of weight from not eating. He cries all the time and has trouble sleeping. He doesn't want to eat anything, including icecream or icee pops, and getting him to drink anything has been so hard. Poor little guy. I hope and pray he feels better soon and gets back to being his sweet little happy self. Must be the season for the children of this family to have tonsil trouble. Victoria my granddaughter and Anthony's cousin has tonsilitis a few times already. This past week she had a bad bout of tonsilitis, so bad that when she went to see her doctor he sent her to the emergency room to make sure they were not abscessed. At the hospital they gave her IV medications to fight the tonsilitis and to hydrate her a bit. They sent her home with a prescription of a stronger medication to help get rid of the tonsilitis for once and for all and get them removed. The medication has to be the smelliest, nastiest stuff I have ever come across & needless to say we have done everything to try to get her to take her medicine and she won't. They added flavor to it and still and all its horrid. I am sorry to say but it smells like dog poop! Really its that bad and it cost $100.00 what a shame. So my daughter called back her own pediatrician and told him whats been going on. Its been a couple days and Tori still is not getting better and no antibiotics going in her, except for a few drops that we weaseled in before she upchucked it at us. BLECK!! The pediatrician was shocked that the ER Doctor gave her this medication and the strength he gave it to her was not even for her size,age and weight. It has some of the worse side effects too, so her medication was changed immediately. I can't tell you how bad we all feel and angry too. You just can't trust anyone, you really need to do your own research and thats so scary. Never a dull moment around here.

I can hardly believe that tomorrow is June 1st. School will be over in just a few short weeks. This school year went by pretty fast. As most of you know after this job is over I usually work every summer for our local summer recreation program and I have been seriously thinking of not working this time. I still watch my grandchildren and the convenience of the Summer recreation is that I bring them along. But I have been kind of undecided whether to work there this year. I love being home too, and getting some work around the house done and lots of quality time with grandchildren, and stitching, and out in the backyard just living. Have to really give this lots of thought.

Hope your memorial day is wonderful, enjoy the lovely weather. xoxoxo

MY OFFERING

I am so happy that I have finished this piece. It took me a lot longer then I ever thought it would. I just love it and I am going to make it into a nice size pillow for my sofa.

This weekend the weather has just been so lovely. We got a visit from my daughter Katie, husband Tony and my sweet grandson Anthony. Anthony has been walking and running all over the place.
Here is Katie and Tony watching their little guy taking off...

and here is Anthony with Tori in her Dori the explorer car. LOL That car is so cute, it even has a radio in it.


and here is Anthony and Tyler my oldest grandson.

The weather is still so pretty out even though its close to evening. I think I am going to go outback and sit and plan my next stitching finish. I have so many things started so I have to really work on those.
xoxoxo love to all
Sharon

Another Post so soon...LOL I just had to share these pics.
I know there are a lot of you that are know all about the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and lots of you that are Tombies, that just love Tombstones. I just had to share these pictures with all of you, they are of Sleepy Hollows Cemetery here in New York. These pictures were taken by my nephew and his girlfriend. I am dying, ugh no not really but very anxious to go there myself and see what other interesting tombstones there are.

Here is the tombstone of the very popular Katrina Van Tassel.



Good Grief, there he is the Headless Horseman, thats him actually roaming around the cemetery. I am glad that he didn't catch them taking his picture. I met up with him once before and he was every bit as scary as you can just imagine.

I have been so neglectful of my little blog here, shame on me but
the past weeks have been very busy. There was Mother's Day, a couple barbecues, a birthday party, lots of company, some babysitting, a book fair, a concert, lots of working... and somehow in the midst of it all I managed to stitch a little. I have been stitching for a little while every day after work on my Village from CHS. Its taking me a long time to get that next block done but I am enjoying it so isn't that what matters. I just love the colors of this design and I am enjoying personalizing it. On the block I am working on now it has a name of a bed and breakfast. I am changing the name of it to one that friends of ours owns. Jill and her husband Mike own the Shinglekill Falls which is a popular attraction up here in the upper Catskills. Its a lovely waterfall and they have a bed and breakfast right by it. It has been in their family for years. I can't wait to personalize the rest of the charts for my little village here.

We had a wonderful time on Mother's Day. My daughter Jennifer's, sister in law Tara came over with her husband and family, she is also expecting another baby in a few weeks. She brought me these lovely petit fours. Jen and I got up extra early and cooked lots of good food together, so that after it was all ready we could just enjoy ourselves and our families.
Yep these are every bit as good as they look. They were filled with raspberry filling and some with lemon and raspberry together. Wow they were yummy.

I asked my husband to get me one of the cakes from our local bakery, its filled with fresh strawberries and cream that is so heavenly. I thought it would be a perfect dessert for Mothers Day. Isn't it pretty??

I mentioned a concert. My little Victoria and her first grade class put on a lovely Spring concert last week. It was very nice and the kids did so well. Here is Miss Victoria before the concert and with her classmates singing You're a Grand Old Flag. They all sang so nice and so sincere. What a nice concert it was.


I had so many things I wanted to write about but I will save some for tomorrow. I need to skoot off to bed.
Good night all. xoxoxox
Sharon

After a nice long 3 day weekend, (no work on Friday since there was a superintendents conference, and lots of much needed yard work, I was excited to think I would get lots of stitching time in and would finally be able to post a finish. Bah humbug, no finish at all but I did get some stitching time in which was fun. This one design My offering, is just taking me forever. I sure got fooled by it. Everytime I think I am almost done, I realize I have so much more. HUH? this design has gotten me totally crazy, if I didn't like it so much I would hate it.

I was so tired of it the other night that I had to start something else LOL I found this adorable Hare design on Plum Street Samplers Blog, thank you Paulette, and I am absolutely loving these little Hares. There are quite a few that she has designed and I want to stitch them all. Wouldn't they all be so sweet looking in a basket together.

My weekend wasn't a total lost, I did manage to catch up on some mending, fixing and hemming. So did my granddaughter Victoria. I am always fixing dolls, bunnies,doggies all sorts of things that somehow find their way in Maya and Dingo's mouth. They like to play tug-a-war with Tori's babies. Tori will always bring them to me to repair, so yesterday I sat on my bed and started mending. Tori asked could she try and I was a little nervous about giving her a sharp needle. Any sewing projects she had done before were with a plastic needle but I thought well she has to learn sometime. I am happy to say she was pretty good at it and very careful. She made some tiny little stitches and managed to fix what was a monkeys tail there. LOL Look at those little dirty feet, hmmm. Well, I am so happy that she did a little sewing. I had bought her sewing cards before but she was bored with them, now I can find little projects for her to sew and now to teach her to crosstitch. Oh the possibilities. :) I hope she learns to love stitching as much as I do.

Well, its off to work I go. Have a great day everybody. xoxoxo
Love to all, Sharon