Saturday, July 18, 2009

A Sip of Tea for Me......please


On our Pigeon Forge trip recently, I got some herbs for tea. I frequently make my own tea with paper tea bags. Just a mix of this and that.........maybe that's root medicine........don't know but anyway, I love the lavender and rosemary especially. 1 tsp of each steeped for about 5 minutes and very relaxing......
I need that because I learned a lesson today about pinkeeps. I cut the pink fabric too small.......the pink side where I stitched......yikes! I noticed that the material must be larger than the batting and board........about 2 minutes after cutting it. So, that meant cutting down the acid free board again. Body guard helped me alot at the mat board...(shush, don't tell anybody.....LOL) He's extra good at measuring. Geometry was never my strongest subject in school.....LOL
Anyways, I've cut out the batting, board, backing fabric and now I'm going to sip on some lavender and rosemary tea while I figure out how to fix this. I have tacky glue and I definitely learned my lesson keeping the stitched piece larger than the other pieces.......I know, duh!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Stitching or Reading.......

Well, today, was a catch-up day as my day off. I haven't quite figured out how to get much stitching done and read at the same time. Stitching and TV, yes. Stitching and reading....hmm.
I spent alot of today reading or cooking. I tried a Butterscotch Brownie recipe out for dessert tonight after hot wings and potato salad. My goal of finishing the pinkeeps just didn't go through but I read alot today.

Also, just received a phone call from a friend I haven't seen for a couple of years now. I used to work with her years ago and when they come up to their mountain house, we get to see them and catch-up. I left a note a couple of weeks ago in the door and hoped the rain didn't wash it away to give us a call the next time they were up here. We look forward to cooking out Sunday evening with them and have so much to catch up on. The weather should be perfect for cooking out as the nights are cooler than usual for July (this weekend predicted at low 60 and high of 80 with less humidity). I was so glad they called.

The crickets tonight seem to be extra vocal.

I also checked out the PBS website this morning and didn't realize that I could watch the entire programs on the Internet. I watched part of the first Agatha Christie special which was very good as I missed it on Sunday. A fresh alternative to CNN.
Hope everyone has a good evening and sweet dreams........
Jennifer

New Finish




Good Morning To You

Design from The Sampler Girl's Blog http://atthehoneysuckletree.blogspot.com/
Fabric from quilt shop in Dahlonega, Ga.
14 inch pillow

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Politically Speaking

http://www.afghanistansun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/6e1d5c8e1f98f17c/id/519198/cs/1/

Click above for article. The first two sentences of it makes me shiver.

I know this is not a political blog and I'm so trying to keep my political views to myself, but I have blisters on my mouth from biting my tongue reading this tonight and hearing the news. I want to say "Wake up America!" I can't figure who wrote this article in the Afghanistan Sun online paper but it's worth reading. While we are all sitting by the pools, eating hamburgers and enjoying summertime lemonade, casualities are going up in Afghanistan and the picture is not a good one.

The economy situation, jobless rates, all of this is oblivious to some folks. This amazes me.
Whoever wrote the song "God Bless America", thank you. We need it. Our future depends on now.

I can't help but remember all the things parents do when kids are little to protect them from accidents, injuries, car seats, seat belts, no drunk-driving lectures, no staying out past midnight, dating and then all of a sudden, you can't protect them any more and people are shooting at them 24-7. The feeling is overwhelming sometimes! It's utter helplessness of the first degree.

When I read in the headlines about Britain and that 3 --- 18 year olds are brought back this week in caskets, I can't imagine what their parents are thinking right now nor want to be in their shoes. When I read several articles about the slow response of the supplies to troops, it's very discouraging to say the least.

I hope the President stops posing for pictures and pitching in baseball games and we get serious about the what, when and how or either get out of this mess.

I get people that tell me all the time, "oh, honey, it's all in God's hands and you just have to not worry about it". That's easy for folks who have either no kids or young children who are not old enough to be in the combat zone. So forget the outlet covers, the seatbelts, carseats, life jackets, etc., it doesn't matter now if people are shooting at them. And in reading the headlines everyday, the situation is not getting better. So again, God Bless America.


ok, I feel better now.........

Learning something new


Tonight after our usual 2 mile walk, hills included.....huh, huh, huh............


oh, now, caught my breath.........I am settling in and psyching myself up to finish the pinkeeps. I have not made a pinkeep so I am diligently reading Vonna's tutorial instructions at

http://tts-tutorials.blogspot.com/2007/10/vonnas-pinkeep.html The Twisted Stitchers Tutorials ~~ Vonna Pfeiffer


where she has wonderful instructions on finishing stitching projects and makes this look easy but she is an expert here at finishing. Her tutorial website is great with pictures. I'm serious, it's the greatest blog!


Being the Virgo, perfectionist as I am, I'm sweating a little with anxiety about how mine will look when finished.


Got the ribbon. Check.


Got the Pink Pearlized pins. Check.


Almost finished the stitching on the second one. Check. (Hey, I stitched the entire 1st one during the Michael Jackson memorial in front of the TV! Finishing the second one tonight.......during a replay of the MJ memorial and investigation)


Got some matching fat quarter fabric at the quilt store yesterday for the backing. Check.


Got some white perle cotton thread. Check.


Got batting. Check. (This is kinda like "got milk?", instead "got batting?)


Got the Fraycheck. Check. (That's too many checks)


I need to just find some clothes pins to put on them while drying. I knew there was one more thing I need to look for. Yep, I'll just grab a few out of the clothes pin bag by the clothes line in the backyard....LOL....just joking......we really have a clothes dryer here even in the mountains...LOL

My day off is tomorrow. I will diligently work on this tonight and tomorrow. Setting a goal to finish and post pics by tomorrow night :)

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Random thoughts

The week is zipping by and here are a few thoughts I had today~~~~

Why does someone take my buggy cart at Walmart when I already have 4 items already in the cart? Do they like the same stuff I do?

Why does the second cart completely stop rolling at the back of the store with many items in it?

Why does my dog only eat dogfood if it has ketchup added to the top tonight?

Why is my husband having hot flashes instead of me?

Why does the President make top headlines pitching a baseball and the Afghanistan war is an afterthought today?

Why do I love the color pink so much?

Why did I crave Granny Smith green apples and movie popcorn tonight.......at the same time?

Why can't I organize my stitching stash? Is it just plain more fun to stir into the colors to choose my threads?

Why are the new Walmarts discontinuing the sewing/craft sections completely now?

Why do cars make the gas tank on different sides of the car? Why is my previous car on the left and now on the right? There has to be a logical reason.....I'm just not mechanical and wonder why.

Why do I always ask why?

Monday, July 13, 2009

The Glass Wall

Rummaging through some old books and diaries tonight, I found some poems and journals I kept several years ago. This poem written in my journal January 23, 1999 and the author is unknown but it made an impression on me enough to record it with my daily journal. For folks who like to read and like creativity, check out The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron 1995. I also had the companion book, The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal: A Companion Volume. I kept the journal for awhile and have some favorite things tucked into it. I got this poem from another book but can't recall it by name. This poem is a perfect description of what PTSD feels like.


The Glass Wall

Surrounded by a glass wall
Seen only by myself
This cool exterior protects me,
Keeps me safe,
Holds the world at a distance
That I might observe it,
Yet, not experience the pain
Of its vulnerability.

Surrounded by a glass wall
Seen only by myself,
Your words I hear plainly, clearly;
The wall does not drown them out.
Inside this wall I'm screaming,
But it is lost and unheard
Reverberating within my little glass world.

Surrounded by a glass wall
Seen only by myself,
Clenching my fist in desperation,
I reach out to pound on the wall with my fist,
Ask for help, reach out~~
But, I resist;
Terrified by the sound of breaking glass.

author unknown
journaled January 23, 1999

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Sunday Stitching

Today has been quite a day. Some issues that can't be discussed here but quite somber took up our afternoon and evening. Hubbie is quite supportive and so I am lucky in that respect. I'm glad to have his hand to hold through hard times.

I did get to work on the 1888 Ohio Quilt Posey by The Sampler Girl this morning. I love the colors. The time has gone faster with the pattern holder that I got this week. No more fumbling with patterns to find my place every few minutes. As soon as I find the perfect ribbon for the Pinkwork Pinkeeps, I will go back to finishing those. Otherwise, I will continue on this one and bat around in my mind just how I'm going to complete it, either framing or pillowkeep, or pinkeep........??????? Haven't decided yet.

Well, vacation is officially over as it's midnight and here I am up again late. I said that I would go to bed early tonight but .......didn't happen.
Learning yoga is becoming a more entertaining idea.
Hope your week has a good start tomorrow!
Nite
Jennifer

Ren's New Jammies

Ren likes his new jammies he got as a souvenier from Pigeon Forge, Tennesee! The back of them say "Fatigued". LOL