Teas, IHSW Report, A Few Gifts I Bought for Myself, & Something I Made for Someone : )

How's that for a blog post title   : )

I intended to write about the progress I made in my IHSW stitching this past weekend, & also to show you a few gifts I purchased for myself & one I made for someone else recently.  However, I'm adding a few words about teas.  Specific teas.  Teas from Lillie's in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.  A dear friend who lives in Cedarburg recently sent me a gift of Peace Tea from Lillie's.  It is a delicious herbal tea ... so delicious that I feared it would be gone before I knew it & I would be left with none!  Full of hope, I searched for Lillie's online & was ecstatic to find not only her website but a link for online ordering!  I immediately ordered at least a dozen teas, most of them herbal.  It's kind of odd ... I never liked herbal teas & avoided them like the plague.  Then last year, or maybe the year before, I ended up drinking some chamomile for some reason & fell in love   : ) Anyway, Lillie's teas have names like Grateful Heart, Evening Repose, Dawn Chorus, Dream Tea, Relaxation Tea, & the above mentioned Peace Tea.  All are herbal blends & it's a real treat to have a cup of any of them! Lillie's also sells black teas.  I purchased a few of those as well ... Chestnut, Coconut Custard, Vanilla Bean, Orange Spice, & Winter Spice ... but by far I love the herbal teas best.  Strange, isn't it, for my tastes to have changed like this.  This morning I sat down at my computer with a cup of Grateful Heart, & as I took a sip I realized that I needed to include a plug for Lillie's in my post.  If you buy teas from Lillie's, I'm sure you won't be disappointed   : )

Now ... on to my IHSW report.  I fear that I don't have much to share with you except the start of a LHN ornament, Winter Forest. You can see the finished design here.

I stitched this design once before as a gift, but this time I decided to try stitching it on 40 count linen using 1 strand of floss rather than the suggested 30 count using 2 strands. I fear it might end up being too small, but I'm going to forge ahead & hope for the best.

I had actually stitched more than this.  I started another patriotic kit design, but as soon as I started stitching it I didn't like it. It's not the design I didn't like ... it was the fabric & floss that came with the kit.  I stitched a star motif & a few vines & at that point decided to just frog it all & maybe start it again someday using a different fabric & floss. 

With the exception of books & stitching stash, I really haven't bought much of anything for myself in a coon's age.  You may not have noticed but lately I've been on a patriotic kick, so when I saw Olde Lady Morgan post recently that she was selling some of her patriotic creations in her Early Work Mercantile shop, I rushed over there & bought these.

From left to right you see Miss Libby, Libby's best gal pal Betsy, & a prim Uncle Sam make-a-do.  Here they are a bit closer.    

I love the olde lady's creations   : )  I have several of them but alas, I packed all but one of them away a couple months ago in preparation for my escape from the devil's playground.  Alas, I'm still here, but I'm still clinging to the hope that I will be paroled any day now.  Clinging, clinging, clinging.  Sigh!

Lastly, Marly's (Samplers & Santas) birthday was last week.  With all the medical stuff, moving stuff, & a bit of bad stuff swirling around my life for the past 6 months, I have found it impossible to keep up with birthdays. Recently I've tried to play catch up but sadly have not been able to stitch gifts for everyone.  However, I saw this Little Stitcher design last year & knew I had to stitch it as a gift for Marly someday.  I had finished the stitching a couple months ago ... then when I saw it was her birthday, I finished it into a pinkeep & sent it off to her.  The design is called The Granny & the Deer.  Marly has often written about how she feeds bread to the deer who come to visit her.  I decided to embellish Laura's design a bit & add a slice of bread in granny's (Marly's) hand to make it more personal.  I received an email from Marly thanking me for the gift so I can share it with you now   : )   This was one of the mysteries I posted on my blog post this past Saturday.  You've already seen the back of it ... here's the front   : )

And that, I think, is it for this morning except to once again share a few new daylily blooms with you   : )   Have a blessed day!

Finishes & Gifts

I know I should be hunkered down in my recliner stitching away for IHSW, but I'm in the midst of making lunch (it's baking in the oven) so I decided to do a blog post instead : )  

Last weekend, the IHSW prequel, I finished stitching these two Pine Mountain kits. Please ignore the little white fuzzball on the first item which escaped my attention when I took the photo.

Recipe for America

American Star

I also finished stitching together the following pinkeeps.

Design:  Primitive Liberty Hanging Pinkeep

Designer:  Country Rustic Primitives

Fabric:  Osnaburg

Floss:  DMC

Design:  Primitive Freedom 1807 Pinkeep

Designer:  Country Rustic Primitives

Fabric:  Osnaburg

Floss:  DMC

The backs of the above pinkeeps   : )

Design:  Can't tell you (it's an RAK)

Designer:  Can't tell you this either

Fabric:  Linen - I forget the count

Floss:  DMC

Design:  Can't tell you (it's a gift)

Designer:  Can't tell you this either

Fabric:  32 ct lambswool linen

Floss:  DMC

I also received some wonderful gifts this week!  This first gift is from Maggee from Stitching Devotee. Magge is such a very thoughtful person.  Look at the RAK she sent me!  A My Big Toe design I had admired in one of her posts, a lovely Sampler Girl pinkeep design, & 4 luscious GA threads!  I was also very excited about that little notecard she enclosed with all the M&Ms pictured on it!  I'm dieting right now & let me tell you, I've almost licked the picture off that notecard!!!  Thank you again Maggee ... I love it all   : )

As Sophie posted the other day, Peggy Lee from Kentucky Sampler came to visit.  Sophie & I have a bit of a disagreement.  She says Peggy came to see her.  I say Peggy came to see me.  I think I win the disagreement because Peggy brought me gifts   : )   This first one is a woven basket I noticed in a photo she posted earlier this year ... or maybe she sent me the photo?  In any case, it was placed amongst some things that Peggy was taking to Goodwill.  I shamelessly asked for the basket & she said I could have it.  Happy dance!  Happy dance!  (Please excuse that plastic bin of whatnot you see there sticking out from the den.)

And be still my heart, Peggy also brought me one of her fabulous handmade pinkeeps in a pewter mug complete with a rusty safety pin holding some old buttons!!!  Happy polka! Happy polka!  This is a crummy photo of it which really doesn't do it justice, but it's the best I could do. 

Thank you again dear friend!  I love my gifts  : )

I will now leave you with a few more daylily blooms that decided to make their appearance today.  The last one is my current favorite   : )

And here are a couple hydrangea photos for good measure   : )

 I hope everyone is having a great weekend!  Thanks for stopping by   : )

A Trip Down Daylily Lane

I do love me my daylilies!  They are a little bit of heaven here in the devil's playground. I was walking around looking at them this morning & thinking that I need to buy more ... lol!  I will try to hold off doing that until we know if we're getting paroled from here or not.  Here are photos of the ones that are blooming now.  I believe the last one is an Asian lily?  I bought a daylily package at Walmart & that's what grew from it!  I hope you enjoy   : )

Have a great weekend!

It's IHSW you know   : )

A Message from Sophie

I'm taking it upon myself today to post about the wonderful time I had yesterday!  My friend, Peggy Lee from Kentucky Sampler, came to visit me!  

I know that Shirlee thinks Peggy came to see her, but I'm sure that's not the case.  After all, I never saw Peggy scratch Shirlee's chin like she scratched mine!  Of course Peggy was the epitome of politeness.  That's just her way.  She politely listened while Shirlee rattled on about blogging, cross stitching, selling her house, & a multitude of other things.  Peggy was kind enough to engage in conversation with Shirlee, making it seem like she was really interested in her ramblings. Oh, how my heart ached for Peggy as I watched Shirlee show her several cross stitch projects she had finished recently. Peggy oohed & aahed but I'm sure I saw her rolling her eyes at me.  Poor Peggy   : (  

I hope Peggy comes to visit me again despite Shirlee trying to monopolize her attention yesterday.  When she does, God willing, I will make sure to hide any cross stitch projects Shirlee has done so that I can show Peggy what she really wants to see.  My toy collection! 

What Am I Missing?

"We are ... perplexed, but not in despair;"

2 Corinthians 4:8

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I am majorly confused this morning.  I have seen a couple blog posts about IHSW being this weekend.  However, when I go to Joysze's site to sign up, there is no signup post for June.  The May signup post is still there.

IHSW or not, I plan to be stitching a lot this weekend.  Stitching & hopefully finishing.  I have 5 pinkeeps ready to stuff & close.  I'm not sure if I will be adding any trimming around the edges.  All of them are primitive so the plainer, the better.  

I keep looking at the photo I found to post above.  That girl looks to be maybe in her 20s?  She looks thin, has a nice head of hair, her face doesn't sag, she doesn't have a turkey neck, her arm skin isn't hanging down past her breasts, & you can actually see her breasts positioned above the table edge instead of lying in her lap.  If she was old, fat, balding, saggy, floppy, & had breasts that resembled wind chimes, we could be twins!  

Busy Doing Nothing

This has kind of been me for the last few days.  Then again, I guess I really haven't been technically doing nothing.  I've been sleeping a lot.  I had a spinal stenosis flare over the weekend, saw a new doctor on Monday, got a new prescription for pain medicine, ran some errands, & yesterday I had a yummy burger & fries at the Huddle House followed by a Dairy Queen ice cream cone for dessert.  I've been doing a bit of stitching & finishing as well but I can't share photos of any of that yet.  So okay ... I haven't actually been doing nothing  Sure seems like it though.

I know you have all been worried about the fawn & I apologize for not posting an update sooner.  I can't say that I'm real pleased with the actions of the wildlife rescuer but I guess she didn't have much choice.  We waited until late afternoon & the momma deer did not appear.  We called the rescuer who was able to get the fawn from behind the willow bush.  She held it in her arms & the poor thing was bleating so pitifully.  She was telling us about how she currently has 5 other fawns that she's taking care of, the nice safe place she has on her property for them, etc.  The little fawn kept bleating & bleating.  Suddenly momma deer came running into the neighbor's field.  She spotted us holding her baby & the fawn spotted her.  The rescuer put the fawn down so it would run to its momma, but the momma ran one way & the fawn ran in the opposite direction.  We watched it go into the neighbor's field near a hedgerow.  The rescuer said it would be okay ... that when it got hungry, it would start bleating & the momma would find it.  I would've felt a lot better if I had seen it actually run off with the momma, but I guess the rescuer knows what she's talking about.  I hope so anyway. The pit bulls owned by our other neighbor never go into that field so the fawn should have been safe from them. 

Right now we are having the granddaddy of all storms.  High winds, darkness, lots of thunder.  I love it   : )   Off I go to make a bit of brunch.  Fried egg sandwiches with cheese. Sounds good to me   : )   I hope to finish my finishes today too.  Wish me luck!  

God's Creatures

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?

Yet not one of them is forgotten by God."

Luke 12:6

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I'm sure God does not forget little baby fawns either.  I went out onto the front porch this morning & look what is snuggled behind one of our willow bushes.  Look closely behind the middle willow bush.

I am so worried about this sweet little thing. I've mentioned before that our neighbor does not keep his pit bulls on his own property. Other neighbors allow their dogs to run wild as well.  Then of course there's the fox that roams our property from time to time. Where is this baby's mamma?  I don't know what to do.  Any suggestions?  I am praying.

UPDATE

I spoke with Jason at the local Humane Society.  He said mother deer will often bed down their babies in what they think is a "safe spot" & then come back for them later. Jason suggested I contact Wildlife Rehabilitation since they deal specifically with wildlife.  I was put in touch with a WR volunteer, Eva, who agreed with Jason but also stated that the mother deer should have come back for her baby by this time of day.  She said to keep watch through the windows to make sure no dogs or wild animals bother the fawn & give the mother another 2 hours to come back.  If she fails to return by that time, we are to pick up the fawn, put it in a box inside the garage, & Eva will come pick it up.   

The Passing of Days

"Be joyful in hope; patient in affliction;

faithful in prayer."

Romans 12:12

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Another week, another week.  I read someone's blog recently ... I'm sorry, I don't remember whose blog it was ... & she ended with the question why do the days drag by so slowly but the years fly by so quickly? I've had a few of those dragging days.  

I've been doing some stitching.  These first 2 future pinkeeps are Country Rustic Primitives designs stitched on my favorite stitching fabric, osnaburg.  The first design is called Freedom 1807 Pinkeep; the second Liberty Hanging Pinkeep.  Ya gotta love CRP designs. You know what you're getting just by the titles   : )

Last night I started working on a Pine Mountain pillow kit called American Star. These kits are always nice since they're prefinished for you   : )   I've gotten this far.

I seem to be on a patriotic roll   : )

I really don't have much to write about.  It's getting warmer & warmer here   : (   Pearl & I took a walk around the yard this morning to see how things are faring.  She was pretty excited when she saw the first of the daylilies blooming   : )

She was pretty excited about this purple colored mystery plant as well.  I have its name & other information on a tag somewhere.

I was walking along & suddenly Pearl was nowhere to be found!  I was so worried, but then I heard giggling & there she was ... playing a trick on me by hiding in a clump of Feverfew   : )

This was Pearl's favorite plant ... the pink Astilbe.

You're probably thinking one of two things ... (A) The Easily Influenced Stitcher has too much time on her hands; or (B) The Easily Influenced Stitcher needs professional help.  I won't argue   : )