Finally picked up St. Petersburg again

I made myself pick up St. Petersburg today, but I wasn't able to finish part 6. I actually started part 7 because part 6 is so boring. Repeating a design 4 times makes it difficult to work on a design, for me anyways. So upper left corner is the start of part 7 and I actually enjoyed stitching it :). I don't think I've ever worked on a piece that I've struggled so much with. I think this will help to move further into the design without completely finishing each corner.

Over all I'm not stitching very much though. The mojo just isn't there.

We bought a Wii fit that I'm having a blast with. I've actually lost a few pounds, yeah.

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."

The desire of my heart is for my daughter to come back to the Lord and come home to us.

First time dying linen

Well, I spent the afternoon with a friend dying linen. This is the first time either one of us has ever done this. I read lots of blogs and other websites about dying linen to be prepared. We dyed with RIT dye but found out that bleach was our best friend. LOL!! We had some real disasters going and bleach saved us.

We are both fanatics about stitching on hand-dyed linens, this sure is cheaper. My favorites are the two in the top picture, especially the one on the left.

All of these are 36 ct edinborough except the peachy one in the bottom picture, that one was a cheap piece of 28ct monaco.

The two best RIT colors were tan and cocoa brown.

Thanks to everyone who sent kind comments about my family situation. They are very appreciated.

"No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has emerged from the kingdom of night."

Noah/Struggles and trials

Here is an update on Noah. The more I stitch this the more I know I don't want to stitch on 40ct again, nor 1/1 again ;). I am really shocked at how poor my eyesight has become.

Thanks for all the nice comments about my Mermaid(s).

Struggles and trials have become a normal part of my life for the past year and a half. I never realized you could feel so many emotions (often at the same time). These struggles have to do with my oldest daughter, whom I love so much. This past year and half has taught me that I would LITERALLY give up my life for her to get herself back on track. You always hear people say they would die for their kids. But I KNOW I would die for any one of mine. We received more distrubing news about our wayward daughter last night and I think I cried 2 pounds of tears. On my good days I KNOW that God is in control, and that he knows what is going on in my daughter's life. It's so hard to remember God's greatness in times of difficulty and yet he should be our biggest comfort. How disappointing I must be to God because I do not trust in Him the way I should. But God uses trials to make us better people for him. Apparently I need a lot of work since he keeps giving us more to deal with.

I leave you with the verse below, knowing this is my time for weeping.

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die...a time to weep, and a time to laugh."

Mermaids

Well I picked up my mermaids this weekend. I did a fair amount of beading although it isn't noticeable (rats)! I worked mainly on her tail fin. I'm close to being able to start on Mermaid #2.

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. My son is feeling much better, thanks to all who wished him well.

"Don't just get older, get better. Live realistically. Give generously. Adapt willingly. Trust fearlessly. Rejoice daily."

A new start and 2 awards ;)

I have been awarded the Brillante Weblog Award by Dawn @ Golden Angels Works. Thank you!! Here are the rules:

1) Put the logo on your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on yours
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

I nominate the following: (I could actually nominate everyone).

1. Carla @ CC's Stitching Diary
2. Lynn @ Kearnels Korner
3. Deb @ Lavender Rose Ramblings
4. Teejay @ Passion of My Needle
5. Suzanne @ Squazi and the Chicken
6. Debby @ Stitch Wizard
7. Kim @ These Are The Days

I was also awarded the Kreative Blogger Award by Noreen @ Needle Caboodle.

Thank you Noreen. Here are the rules:

1. The winner may put the logo on her blog.
2. Put a link to the person you got the award from.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to the blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

I nominate the following: (again I could nominate everyone)

1. Vonna @ The Twisted Stitcher

2. Karoline @ Karolines Corner

3. Karen @ Karen's Place in Web Space

4. Monique @ Inside Number Twenty

5. Kathryn @ Threads of Desire

I know a lot of people don't participate in these awards and if you don't want to participate that's fine. I am literally amazed at and enjoy EVERYONE'S blogs. I think this is a good opportunity to open up new blogs to people.

While I was on vacation I did start a very small project. It's called "Cheaper than Therapy" by My Big Toe Designs. I'm doing it on a 32 ct Silkweaver Solo with WDW and GAST threads. I changed the thread colors so they would match the linen better.

I am basically done with my daughter's bedroom (just need to buy new curtains and hang them) so I'm going to make myself sit down and stitch this afternoon. I'm not sure what I'll pick up, will probably just look in my WIP's basket and see who's hollering the loudest.

This is absolutely the longest post I've ever posted. Thanks if you made it to this point.

Have a great weekend.

"Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when he delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the Hand."

A finish.......I think ;)

It's been forever since I posted because it's been forever since I've stitched!! Technically I finished Maude Eloise last week when we were away on vacation, but the design is just a tad too small for the frame I want to put it in. So I have to decide if I'm going to have the frame cut down or put a border around the design to make it bigger.

Life has been very hectic and unpredictable and I have completely lost my stitching mojo.

I'm still trying to finish the redecorating of my daughter's room. But paint won't dry when it's 96 degrees with 80% humidity. I'm actually posting while I'm waiting for a wall to dry so I can put the last coat of paint on it. I'm also painting furniture. And of course all of her bedroom furniture is sitting in our living room. So you can barely maneuver around our house.

And to add to all of this my son left Sunday for a mission trip that's 4 hours away and he's been sick since Monday. My husband left a few hours ago to go and get him, 4 hours to get there, then 4 hours to get back. Like I said life is so unpredictable. I'm sure I'll be taking him to the doctors tomorrow. I think he probably has strep throat :(.

We did have a super vacation. Rented a house that was right on the ocean. Gorgeous!! It was so relaxing.

I'm slowly getting caught up on everyone's blogs. Boy, you guys post a lot. I never have that much to say :).

"I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful."

Miss Mermaid

I haven't had much time to work on any stitching projects, but I think I've made enough progress on my mermaid to post a pic. I still enjoy working on her, but I'm not keeping up with the beading as I had planned, so I'm starting to feel a little anxious about that. The next time I work on her I've told myself I'll have to work on some of the beading. I do want to finish this piece by the end of the year and I think I'll be able to reach that goal.

This coming week I'm going to redecorate my youngest daughter's room. I'll be removing the wallpaper and painting her walls. We went out this morning so she could pick out her bedspread, at the price of $100, yikes!!! I'm going to choose the paint and border for her room from the colors in her bedspread.

Happy 4th of July to everyone.

"God has not promised us an easy journey, but he has promised us a safe journey."