ADD and project pouch

Hello friends and thank you for some new followers,  I was surprised that I am up to 23 new friends!  I am humbled and pleasantly surprised.  Welcome all.

So, it's already the 3rd week of August, some kids are back to school, mine start the 10th grade in 2 weeks.  Where did the summer go?  Everyday I tell myself to sit down and stitch and as soon as i get up to do one little thing, even as simple as getting something to drink, I become distracted and end up doing something completly different.  Such as this project pouch I made yesterday, I don't know what the heck happened to my stitching since it is in one room and the sewing machine is down in the basement.  Anyways.....it came out cute, I used a pattern for a laptop sleeve and a few more trys and I should be quite happy.  I'm not very good with zippers, this one came out decent but the lining fabric gets caught a little, so that can only mean one thing, I have to go shopping!  More material, more zippers and more attempts!  As always I am a work in progress.

Here is the pouch with a new start, its a La D Da  Trick or Treat pattern and I am using the handyed fabric that Fiona sent to me in the stitched with love exchange.  It is perfect.



Soccer season is off to a great start, the boys played their first game of the season Saturday and the JV boys won 9-0, the Varsity 2-0.  I was excited to see my son score a goal, so much cheering that I didn't get a picture of it, lol.  My daughter had a game last night, they got crushed and got in at 9:30 last night, so since they lost they had to be at practice at 8 am this morning to do conditioning.....ouch.  Tonight another boys game and concession stand volunteer duty.  This running never ends. I had to turn $12,000. in checks to the athletic director this morning since we have to pay $495. per student per sport!  I don't think I've ever held that much money before, lol.   I am the team administrator so if the money isn't payed the kids don't get to play.  I'm still surprised at how poorly Ohio handled their school funds that many schools have to PTP for sports.  My kids play club soccer and it's cheaper than this.  It is what it is.

I also had to break the news to NKU Youth orchestra and  UC College Conservatory of Music that Ashley has decided not to play the bassoon anymore, hasn't even touched it all summer.  Breaks my heart, the schools are disappointed but who knows she is 14 and maybe it's just a break?  she has worked with some awesome music conductors and teachers since our move to Cincy but her heart isn't in it so the passion in the music is not heard anymore...Remember being in highschool....

So see, ADD, I started out to tell you about the pouch and started babbling about everyting else...nuff said.  I received my Stitched with Love exchange and have been going over everything for a few days, lol.  I love packages!

Have a splended week!
Dawn

Happy dance- giveaway received and seasonal exchange

good monday evening dear friends

Life has been so busy with two teenagers playing soccer for the high school, this week is scrimmages nearly every evening and Saturday starts the official season.  So far so good, looks like we will have a good season, however this mom is wondering what did I get myself into volunteering to be team administrator.... to all who volunteer in aspects of our children's lives, thank you thank you!

I received my giveaway package from Michelle today!  I think I love the handmade lace the most.  Thank you for the generous package!  It was my first blog win, so very excited about it!

Seasonal Exchange

This little darling is from Jen who was my partner in the seasonal exchange, it's my first primative and she said she choose the colors, it's so simple its sweet.  Thank you for such a pretty finish Jen.

Well hubby just pulled in the driveway, I haven't seen him for a week as he was in VA visiting his baby girls (23 &20)  but still his babies. 

Have a pleasant evening everyone!

Dawn

A Rak received and some progress

Good morning dear friends,

I received this beautiful RAK from Lisa P.The Inspired Stitcher yesterday, she was my partner in this past round of seasonal exchange, the first one I sent her fell apart, all I can think of was the 100* plus heat we had last month, days and days of heat and I made her a scissor book and used adhesive, probably a bad choice in heat.  I felt awful when I learned of it's demise, so I made her a replacement.  I was really shocked yesterday, not expecting her heart felt thank you, She made this beautiful thank you heart and I appreciate her gesture so very much, especially after this past weekend (keep reading).  Thank you so very much Lisa.

It's been a crazy last few days, I went to Erie to visit my parents, who are 79 and 80 and wow, I had drama, at one point all of us were crying and tempers and sadness.  It's so hard to watch your parents suffer and hurt, I still see my parents the way I did as a little girl but now they are frail and in pain.  It's hard to see your hero suffer, my dad in the last 8 years has suffered from 2 different cancers, multiple surgeries, triple bypass, and now constant pain where he tells you he wants to die, too much pain.
It didn't help that we had 98 degree heat and their air conditioner stopped working.  Emotions everywhere.  I've never had to comfort my mom, she was sobbing and I felt like I couldn't make her feel better.  It's hard to realize that it's the beginning of the end.  I know we were born only to die, but I sit here wondering when did my parents get old?  We are all ok, lots of hugs and love, but I know the time is coming and although I am 44, but I don't think I'm really prepared to deal with the impending loss of my parents.  My parents own a grape farm off of Lake Erie, it's a lot of work and no one is close  to help out, we do what we can but we are all over, I live 5 hours away, my oldest brother is 15 hours away and the closest brother is an hour from them. My dad has finally admitted that he can't take care of the farm anymore, that breaks his heart.  The farm is part of his beating heart and here is the circle of life.   Thank you for listening, I truly appreciate your time (it takes away from your stitching :))

the farm I grew up on,  a 44 acre grape vineyard

Well, I am a spoiled girl, my mother sent me home with her Janome Memorycraft sewing machine, it is completely computerized and also all her designs, and the embroidery disks.  I had to put it in my spare bedroom until I complete my contracted work (it's killing me, I want to start to sew with it)  I always joked with mom, i would call her up and ask what she was doing, she said sewing, I would laugh and say don't you mean watching, aside from changing thread colors she really didn't sew if it was embroidery mode.  My mom is into quilting and has made some beautiful quilts over the past few years for myself and brothers, grandkids etc.  She takes care of my dad so much now that she doesn't find pleasure in it.  She asked if I wanted it and, of course I said YES.

I did make some progress on my pieces.  I love the way this LHN piece is, the yellows are so cheery.

I need a mantra, I love Dory from Finding Nemo, perhaps I should adopt, "just keep stitching, just keep stitching, stitching, stitching..."  kind of catchy  :)

OHHHH I almost forgot, I did find out that I won a giveaway from Michelle at MIchelle's StitchCraft Place.  I can't wait for it's arrival, I found out that I won by reading her post, somehow I missed her email (I get a ton now that I am parent administrator for the high school men's  soccer team)  I did do a happy dance amongst my tears.  It is my first win in blog land, and again, I am so thankful for the friends that I have made in such a short time blogging and learning about blogging.  I still shake my head, how did I miss all those years of blogging? lol.

Lastly, Chloe turned 6 months old on Sunday, she is the size of an adult golden and still as playful as a puppy.  She is still a sweetie. She has sit and lie down, it's staying that she has issues with.  She is a work in progress as are we all.

Enjoy your week,
blessings
Dawn

still here

Dear Friends,

I haven't been writing much as my world has been just plain busy, i have read my blogs and commented here and there but keep running out of time.  I have taken over as team administrator for the mens jv and varsity soccer team at the high school, so I have been trying to learn everything and get organized and make sure all the paperwork is in since tryouts are next week.  fun fun.

I have managed to do a little, and I do mean little on shepherds bush and my LHN two yellow houses but i also had to redo an exchange piece that had some issues upon its arrival so that had to be take care of.

also last friday my washing machine started smoking on the inside, a front loader, only 4 years old and the fire alarm went off.  I am so thankful that I bought the extended warranty, they come tomorrow to decide repair or replace, I even took video, lol.  my clothes had to soak and soak to get the smoke smell out but it was successful.

Last night my hubby and I went on a date to a winery that is owned by friends that he works with relatives, it was a wonderful chance to sit and enjoy some adult company, sip on some wine, enjoy the country, and eat some steak.  the wine was fantastic and we got a tour of how he does his production.

Yesterday and today the weather has been hot and the boys are in a tournament, so far they have won 3 of 3 played, one more game at 6:15, it's so nice it's just a short drive away.

scary storms friday night

front rolling in before broke loose

shepherds bush progress

two yellow houses progress

I just wanted to check in and show my pictures, hope everyone has a fantastic week...

Home Sweet Home

Good afternoon friends,  the mail came early and my new chart and linen arrived for CCN's Home sweet Home, looks like it will be a quick stitch, now another dilemma, right after i ordered this pattern  ccn showed us her new releases, I love love her new cookies and milk...should i order that to?  I went to my lns yesterday to buy some sampler threads and she didn't have any of the new lhn and ccn charts so i was safe spending there, lol....humm hubby is out playing golf today...

but, I had to take baby boy to the vet this morning, he developed a huge "hematoma" I thought a cyst on his ear, they drained 2 ml of fluid and gave him some steroids to make the blood flow better, she believes it is from trauma, all i can think of is Chloe may have played a lil rough with him, anyways, I can't believe 15 min vet visit was $146.  really no play money now...sigh. I am so happy that it wasn't anything serious such as a cyst.

I have 2 steps forward and 3 steps back, I was sadly informed that something i mailed as part of an exchange has fallen apart, all i can think of is that blasted heat wave we had, 14 days straight of over 100 degree weather and it didn't have to travel far, it was in this heat as well.  I was excited to have the time to mail it early, so to make this all better, I've started a new piece for my partner and it will be finished into something that will NOT have adhesive involved.  so, I haven't gotten much of anything done of anything that I am making for myself.   Oh well, it is what it is...moving along.

well, I' guess I'll swing on over to the ABC website and shop?  lol

enjoy your day!

A bit of this and that

I don't know where the time is going, I've been busy while my kids are visiting their dad in PA, I've done some dabbling with sewing and crocheting and some stitching.  The Death heat has broken and has been replaced with some humidity but it is more bare able, we had 14 days of temps over 100.  the rain that's been predicted bails so the ground is dry, the grass is burned (kids will be happy that there is nothing to mow, lol)  My garden is wonderful, tomatoes are just starting to turn, i have 1 green pepper, but I will enjoy it and my zucchini are going crazy, next year, we will have a bigger garden, I started small this year since we have a lot of clay but we put down 10 bags of dirt and planted some veggies and we are happy with the progress.

Chloe is a beast, just turned 5 months, her personality is toddler stubborn.  she is funny and lovable but oh so mischievous, the kids are going to be surprised at how big she has grown in 2 weeks.  she just learned how to jump out of my trailblazer this week, pitiful, she would put her paws on either side of my shoulders and I would have to lift her out, she is far to big now.

Chloe at 5 months and duncan

I have been doing some sewing projects, making mug rugs, they are so cute and I made a pillow from the patriotic garden, i found perfect fabric at jo anns for it.

Patriotic garden- Waxwing moon

I finished two exchanges pieces as well, but i can't share them yet.  and I am working on a Rak for a new friend.

I spent a good amount of time on my shepherds bush piece, it's a lot of starting and stopping to change colors, i feel like I'm making so little progress.  this evening I pulled out my two yellow houses by LHN, it's so pretty but I know i need to concentrate on the shepherds bush piece.  I also ordered sweetest home by CCN a few weeks back, sigh, I'm still waiting for it to come, I'm not going to complain, Like i need more stash...

I hope everyone has a fantastic and safe weekend.

Blessing to all
Dawn

Sitting over the ac

Hello good friends, it's been a little while since I posted, I've been reading but haven't had the interest to do much...so very hot here, we've been breaking records here all week, even the dogs don't want to play in their pool. Let's play catch up... My premature baby boy turned sixteen on June 28th, I can't believe he is so grown up, seems like yesterday he was saying "ciao,ciao" as we strolled the streets in La Maddalena. Oh I miss living there so very much. Anyways, back to reality, we had his girlfriend and her parents over for dinner and had a wonderful evening talking and eating. BBQ ribs, beans and DQ ice cream cake. This iPad won't let me add pictures, guess I'll have to do that late. Last week we went to my parents for a few days in Lake City, Pa, the kids dad picked them up from there for two weeks. I had a good time visiting with my parents. My dad is 80. Mom is 79, they are considering selling the grape farm and looking for some properties. If you can picture this...my husband is 6'3" driving my moms mini van, he is also black, my dad up front is heard of hearing and my mom is deaf in left ear, we were driving out in the country arging over which way to turn, my dad says he can't hear me, then a minute latter he is telling me I'm yelling that he isn't deaf! Ugh. My husband said he was about to stop the van and smack all of us.lol. It was funny. I had hubby home from work for 6 days, I felt so spoiled! It was fantastic. Chloe is getting bigger, will be 5 months this weekend, she got the all clear from the vet on her spay, she can go to the lake with us- she is a chicken- next time we take the boat out she is going to be baptized! She will learn (I hope) that she is a water dog. I've been working on a few projects...those I can't show as they have to do with two exchanges I am participating in, I am very excited about this again, one is seasonal and the other is a tea or garden themed. I also have gotten into crocheting again, I went through mom's boxes of knitting and crocheting books and needles before she turns it over to my cousin. I like to crochet, I'm not a good knitter but I have so many memories of mom doing both that I want to hold onto that part of her. She is finishing up some quilts to before she gives me her Janome machine, I have a lot of learning to do when I get it, the whole machine is a computer. I've spent the past two days cross stitching, crocheting and surfing blog land for tutorials and patterns for these exchanges. I suppose I should go start dinner...before I get side tracked again. Enjoy your weekend and have a safe one.