IS IT NEXT WEDNESDAY YET???

I am a bit cranky today. I'm a little sad that summer is over, however, I am SOOOO ready to get back into a routine and get my house in a routine and order!! I've tried over the summer, but it hasn't happened, not to my satisfaction anyway, and with my foot/ankle hurting for the last three weeks it has made me cranky. Thankfully my foot is doing better, so I can untertake the projects I need to organize. Have you ever felt like you're in a sinking ship? I mean I do the dishes, I turn around...there's more...(we have no dishwasher here).....I just feel like I am fighting a loosing battle...and clutter!....the kids seem to drop things wherever and I get them to put things away and it's back again! DH is not much better! Summer is a slower time at work for him, so he's like a 4th child some days...LOL...dont' get me wrong, I love my family....I just need schedules and routines somedays!! Also, I love, love love spending time with my kids, but there ARE some days that I just need to be a mom and get done what I need to get done...do they understand that?? NO! Like I said, all good things must come to an end and it's time for summer to come to an end......now down off my horse and get to work on my house!! LOL
Thank you for listening...I feel much better!
Have a great day!
Marion

ANOTHER FRAME, CUTENESS AND GOOD THOUGHTS?

I got my Fairy framed! I like how she turned out, and feel like I accomplished something in the past few days with the framing I've done! Yippee!!

The above photo I thought was very cute...it was taken Sunday night while we were having a fire and sitting around the firepit. The dog looks like she is smiling too!

If I may, I would appreciate all the prayers and good thoughts you can send my way. I have been having problems with my foot/ankle and it is not getting better...worse actually. I have to call the Dr this morning, she will have my x-ray results. I am nervous, very nervous....we all seem to think the worst of everything. If there are no conclusive results from this, I go for bloodwork.

UPDATE: Seems as though I have Plantars Fascitis. Painful is all I can say!
I will recover though...and hey, maybe a good reason NOT to do too much housework!! (More time to stitch)

Have a great day everyone!
Hugs,
Marion

WHAT I DID TODAY, AND WHAT WE DID TONIGHT..

Well, today I decided that I was going to accomplish something! I decided to frame some of the cross-stitch pieces I had that needed framing. I do my own framing...I absolutely love looking at professionally framed pieces, but I cannot justify that cost at the moment. The above piece is a favourite of mine....I absolutely love this piece...it is "Emma's Garden" by Lavender and lace....i think she turned out okay!

I cannot remember who designed this chart...and not sure if I even still have it! I like it though and plan on hanging it in my stairway to the family room.

This piece is a kit a bought of Ebay....by Charland Designs I think! It is 'Anne with and E"....and there is a sterling silver hat charm included. This is for my youngest DD. I had a few problems framing this one and it isn't completely how I want it, but I have to purchase a couple of things tomorrow.

I had wanted to frame my Halloween Fairy,who is now finished!! I have a nice frame, but still need to purchase a couple of things to complete that framing, so maybe tomorrow night I will show her.

My son is a homebody..much like myself (and my DH) and he likes to do work around the house/yard, for which he gets paid a bit. Yesterday he levelled off a piece of our backyard, hauled gravel in the wagon that attaches to our lawn mower, and today he and DH got some patio stones and a firepit! We've been wanting a fire pit for a long time, so after DS had it all set up, etc DH, our dog, DS and I went and enjoyed it! DD #1 was working late and DD#2 was at a sleepover, so we will try again tomorrow night and hopefully at least one DD will be there! LOL

Here are some photos of DS, the firepit, and DS and DH and Nallie dog around it....also, a photo of the back of our house from down at the firepit area.

Have a great night everyone!

Hugs

Marion

WHATCHA WORKING ON WEDNESDAY....

It's Wednesday again, and you all know what happens over at Leslie's http://sweets-mycountryhome.blogspot.com/ blog......

Anyway, you all are going to be so sick of seeing my Fairy!! But, in my defense, I have a really sore foot/ankle (went to Dr yesterday about it) and I need to stay off it, SOOOO, I have been faithfully working on her.....


Still can't get the edit part to work for the photos....so again, you're stuck with the way I took the photos.....you can kind of see in this photo that I have started doing the beading. Her wand is sparkly beads and there are beads on the wing as well. Once I complete the other wing and a few more beads...she's done!!

Have a great day everyone!
Hugs
Marion

HOME OF A NEEDLEWORKER

This is the new cross-stitch chart and threads I bought last week. "Home of a Needleworker"...it is so very true. I am a needleworker. How did this happen? I like to think it has something to do with my heritage. My paternal grandfather was a tailor. I did not know him...he died before I was born. I am fortunate enought to have inherited two of his irons and a pair of shears he used in his job. My aunt was a seamstress, all my cousins (on my dad's side) can sew. My dad, apparently (although I never saw this) could knit....my grandmother sewed aprons, dresses, made quilts......then there is my mom's side. Her mom could sew, her sisters could sew.....she could sew...she did not however do "fancy work" as she refered to what I do. She did not knit or crochet, but saw to it that I learned at a young age. I thank her for that.

I have two pieces of fabric in my mom's sewing basket....I should actually take a photo of them, and I will one of these days....anyway, they are pink...they have some stitching on them....blue actually...zigzag lines.....and I did this when I was about 4 years old...I remember this...I was thrilled! It was the beginning of my love for "needlework". Over the years I have sewn clothes, done embroidery, crewel work, knit, crochet (okay that's not a needle,) and cross-stitched....now I also do swedish weaving. I am happier with a needle in my hand. Will this pass on to my kids? Somehow I don't think so......the only one of the three that can knit or cross-stitch is my son...he picked this up when he was about 10 (he's 14 now).....he picked it up while I was trying to show my daughter how to knit and cross-stitch....he doesn't do either now, but I know he can. Did he inherit some of his great-grandfather's talent? Who knows.....

I hope that the love for the needle continues on past my generation.......but even if it doesn't I know it gives me peace, does my heart good and gives me great joy.......

Have a nice day everyone!

Hugs
Marion

WHERE I HAVE BEEN....

Hello bloggers!! I've been a bit busy this past week.....excuse some of the photos, I can't seem to edit them today for some reason, so you're stuck with what they actually looked like..LOL
Anyway, last Monday the youngest two and I headed out for a night away. Oldest was working, DH and our dog stayed home.....we drove to a Super 8 Motel about two hours from here.....and I do have to say, it was a nice little break. We did this a couple of years ago at a different Super 8.
This time I booked the room which included the gift card for supper, so we had supper and our breakfast looked after, which made the decisions much easier! We stopped to shop a bit along the way, as I had promised DS that he could get his Nike runners for school...he did, he was happy.

While at the Motel, I took advantage of the Hot Tub, and DD took advantage of the water slide. DS is at that age, where he just watched....LOL....but he still enjoyed it.

Later in the week, Thursday actually, we took advantage of it not raining the entire day (what a month for rain!!) and DH, youngest DD and DS went to the zoo...this particular zoo is about 2 and 1/2 hours away, so I also took advantage of visiting the LNS (local needwork store) that is in that city....I don't hardly ever get to do this, so it's always thrilling to actually SEE everything and not just order online. I was quite good though and promised I'd only be a few minutes...I did get two charts and some threads though.......and then we were off to the zoo.

Because it has been so rainy, I have also been working on my Fairy...she's got legs now!!!!

Just a bit more stitching and the beading and she will be done!!

Have a great day everyone...sorry it took me so long to update!!

Hugs

Marion

CONCERT, COMPANIONSHIP AND A 'GETAWAY'

Yesterday afternoon my daughter's friend called..and her mom and I talked....we knew they were going to Avril's concert, and we decided that we would all go in one car, which was great..and since I had the biggest car and the most going (2 daughters) I drove. We stopped at
Dairy Queen for ice cream on the way into the city. Once in the city, we proceeded to the nearest parking garage and I paid, got my receipt and found a parking spot on the first level! (That was an amazing find actually). When we got to the Metro Centre, we parted ways with our friends, and decided to just meet up at the car later, as they had seats on the opposite side of the forum. The concert was really good...lots of mothers and daughters there. Since it was actually a first concert for both my girls, I let them get souviners. Youngest chose a hooded sweatshirt with Avril's name on it, oldest chose a poster for her room.
When the concert was over, we actually got out of the city very fast.....apparently not all people at the parking garage paid first, so they had to wait in a lineup to pay, and since I was parked on the bottom level, I got out before the majority of the crowd!! Great ending to a great night!!

Today I am taking my son and youngest DD away for a night...not sure where, but I think we will stay at a Super 8 motel. There are 3 possibilities to choose from. I also promised my son that he can pick out and purchase his new shoes for school, since he is feeling kind of left out with two sisters that are getting to do a couple of things. DH is going to come up with something fun for DS soon though.

Have a great day everyone and I will post sometime tomorrow after I return.

Hugs
Marion

CONCERT DAY!

So, tonight is concert night for my two daughters and myself! Back in April when tickets went on sale for Avril Lavigne, my youngest really REALLY wanted tickets, and for that matter, so did my older daughter. So we got them, and it is actually a first concert for BOTH daughters. It should be a fun night....into the city, supper in the city and then the concert!! I won't really feel too old...at least one other mom is going with her daughter that I know..LOL MY concert is in September when I go to see ELTON JOHN!! Woohoo! Can't wait!!

Tomorrow my son and my youngest and myself are going off somewhere for the night. I feel so sorry for my son this summer....he's 14, very shy and not sure what he wants to do each day.....my DH can't go and oldest is working, so I decided I would take them away anyway. My son does not like amusement parks, etc, so doing that isn't an option. I found a deal at Super 8 Motel..(he does like their waterslides) and I think I will go that way...now there is an LNS (local needlework store) if I go about 45 minutes further, the problem is, I don't know if I want to go 171 miles from home total..(I looked at the distance map). I am very familiar with the city the LNS is in, as I've been there several times, but always with DH or someone else.....the Motel is still in the same province, so I will have to think on this a bit more, but we will definately go to the motel. I wish I could take his bike, but the bike rack won't fit on my car and I don't want to drive DH van. (My son lives, thinks, breathes bikes of any kind...and bikes ALOT every day).
So, enough on this....have a great day everyone!!
Marion

NEED SOME HELP ON THIS ONE....

On Sunday August 17th, we are going to have our second annual corn boil and BBQ at our house. We will invite some family and friends and neighbours to our house. We will have corn, hamburgers and hot dogs, and I will make some potato salad, etc...and I was thinking maybe some chili in my slowcooker, anyway, does anyone have any other good ideas on what I can have? Some of our family our vegetarians, so I will also have to have enough for them. Is chili a good idea, or should i do something else in the slow cooker? I was thinking of a fruit tray and probably a cake for dessert...any ideas on that? I'd like some different things to serve...so I welcome input in this. Oh and I also thought I would have some rolls or homemade biscuits.
Thanks for everyones help!

Whatcha working on Wednesday...

My mind has been racing the past few days, which I guess is why I haven't posted. I've been trying to plan a couple of days away and somewhere inexpensive and somewhere that will please all that are going...and also on top of that...the weather is not co-operating!!

And, also, this weekend is our first annual community wide yard sale and it hooks up with a 75 mile annual yard sale!! I've been trying to get things together to put out for that...DH and DS and youngest DD will man the fort here. I will be out looking for bargains! LOL Problem is, it is forcasting rain for Saturday, so not sure if we will actually put our things out or not. There will still be alot of sales going on...people plan for this for months...so I'll still be going.

I have been doing alot of thinking about things I WANT to work on, including my curtains, but I have only worked on my Halloween Fairy in the past week...she's coming along....

Take care my blogger friends...have a great day!

A VERY EARLY MORNING...

Good morning! I have been up since 4:45!! Oldest DD needed to get up at that time so that she could get ready for work, so I made sure she was up (moms always worry about thing like that, don't they?) and then I could not get back to sleep, so I just stayed up, had breakfast, did a bit of cross-stitching, browsed the newspapers online, etc.....

As I was sitting here, I wondered what I could show you today...and then I thought of it! The Tin Man! I purchased this Tin Man at a Farmers/craft Market last month. LESLIE, are you reading this???!! It is probably not that hard to make, but I knew that I would never attempt it, so I bought it. I don't think I will keep him in this little garden though, I think soon I will move him to the back yard...we'll see.

I don't know what today will bring. I had not planned on going into town, but my daughter just called and she needs something, so I will venture in there as soon as it becomes a reasonable hour of the morning to be out doing errands!

Tonight I am hoping for a BBQ. DH always does the BBQing, so that's even better!

Have a great day everyone!!
Hugs
Marion (edited to add I had problems with the blog and couldn't publish the post until now)

SECOND POST OF THE DAY AND I WANT OPINIONS!!

Okay, I'm posting these photos, asking your advice......ignore the walls, if you will, they will be re-done over the next year. We live in a large mobile home (with a full basement) and when I designed the walls/colour scheme I wasn't thinking ahead....we are going to paint over this vinyl wallpaper stuff...as soon as we figure out a good way to do it!.....My question to you all is...I want some "prim" window treatments...I can sew them, I just want opinions on what would look good. My kitchen main colour will still be blue....and in the hallway....probably also blue......what would you do with these windows?????

Okay, this is a white curtain, on a white door, with white vinyl wallpaper....can we say TOO MUCH WHITE!! When we paint this hallway, it will be a beige colour probably, but I want some exciting window topper...I was thinking homespun?? Tell me...what would YOU do for a window covering??

This is the big window in our kitchen. These walls will probably have a blue tone to them of some kind...not sure...but blue is my colour in the kitchen....what would you do with this window? These curtains do not fit correctly and I'm just plain sick of them. Do I just do a topper? Do I ditch the mini blind? Do I do a topper and a bottom, or what?? This window is my biggest challenge...so any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!

This is the other window in our kitchen...what would you do here? Again..it's has to be blue of some kind.This is our back door, just off the kitchen, so it would have to kind of match the kitchen. The curtains are on the top and midway down....the glass goes from top to bottom. I might also add that I do like the sun shining in here, so I don't want one long window covering on this door.

Thanks for all your help!

Marion

A Key and a Cabinet.....

While visiting my friend Gina's Blog this morning, I noticed that she had participated in Show and Tell Fridays....from http://www.kellishouse.blogspot.com/ , so, I decided I could do this as well this morning.

I looked and I looked and decided to show you a key and a cabinet. This key, made by my grandfather, whom I had never met by the way, as he passed away a few years before I was born, hangs in my kitchen. My mom gave it to me many years ago...it was a key to their barn. Now the barn I remember! Going there as a child, it had a certain charm about it. By the time I had come along, it was used for storage only....but I do remember going in there with my cousins...and my oh my I wish I had some of those "things" that were stored in that barn now!!!

One thing I remember in particular was an old bicycle. I don't know who it belonged to, but I do remember riding it as a child. I also remember that the barn had a beautiful and unique weathervane on top of it. That barn has long since been torn down, but the memories are still there and this key is very important to me.

This cabinet sits in my kitchen, with my good china in it. I it belonged to my grandmother.....wife of the grandfather in above said key. I remember this cabinet very well. My grandmother did not have fine china, but she did have alot of china cups and saucers, which is mainly what she kept in it. It sat in the corner of her dining room. I'm honoured to have this now. I was the youngest grandchild and her namesake. I wonder how many more generations this key and china cabinet will live through????

Thanks for reading this....hope you enjoyed it...if you did, please leave a comment and let me know you visited.

Happy August 1 everyone! Have a great day.

Hugs, Marion