Inspired Stitches - Ramblings of a Blackworker

Boy, do I miss gardening this year!!!

Don’t know why it all of a sudden decided to hit me, but I missing gardening. We’re in a rental house, so are not at a place that we want to “make our mark” in the garden. Now, we’ve been here 5 years, and this is the first year it’s hit me.

Since Jim and I bought our first house, we’ve always enjoyed getting in the dirt, and making a mark. I’m also a water garden junkie, and actually love the acrid smell of the water garden the beginning of every season. Call me weird! Back in our Atlanta days, I’d come home from a hard day, and play in the garden until dark. Jim worked late into the evening, so it kept me sane. My fish and I got to be great friends, and I think they’d actually play games with me while I cleaned the pump.

Anyways, I think I started getting the bug when I rambled through the Oxford Botanic Gardens while we were in England…

Of course in March they were in the preparation stage of the year, but I still started feeling the bug hit. Our trip out to Brandon certainly didn’t help either.

Well, whatever the source, I want to play in dirt!!!!!!!

Anyways, in the meanwhile, I found this link, and discovered what I might be planting in this garden of mine… What are you?

• 
  

  I am an Echinacea What Flower Are You?

Well, guess I’ll see about figuring out a way to play a little in the dirt this year. I’ve never been a big container gardener, but maybe I’ll give that a try.

Have a great rest of the day!

As I write this, I am being attacked by the smell of brownies cooking in the kitchen. Boy, I’m starting off my day healthy, aren’t I? I was supposed to make brownies and a salad last night, but after a day of getting the June releases out, grocery shopping, and playing with my spinners, I just couldn’t look an egg or oil in the face. Our church is having a church picnic today to honor our graduates, so it must be made.

Other than the brownies, which might end up being our breakfast (LOL), I’m making one of the easiest, and most tasty salads, in my repertoire. Wish I could remember where I found it, but it’s my Mexican Corn Salad. Here you go with my “recipe”:

1. Open up how ever many cans of corn you need to feed your crew. I prefer using the mixed cans of white and yellow corn - it’s so pretty and sweet. Just pour this corn into a mixing bowl.
2. Find your favorite salsa, and add enough that makes the salad pretty, but not too red or runny. I love the black bean salsas, but you can choose whatever hits the spot.
3. Chop fresh cilantro, and add as much as you feel finishes off the salad. I like the flavor and freshness that the cilantro adds, so I add a ton of it. I also don’t mince it, but just roughly cut it. I like the look of the leaves.
4. After mixed, put it in your favorite serving bowl, and take it to the table.

How’s that for easy? It would be great even adding a few fresh veggies - green peppers, tomatoes, whatever floats your boat. But… having a husband who’s not a fan of anything resembling salad… I tend to stick to the basics - which he will eat a little of.

Well, the brownies are out of the oven and are perfect! Whoo-whoo!!!! Off to get ready, and get going.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday. Our’s will be wet, as good ‘ole Barry will be shooting through Richmond. At least he’s just bringing us rain - which is much needed.

Happy stitchin’!

…at least in our household.

For some unknown reason, I’m sitting at my computer at 7:00 in the morning of a Saturday, typing away. Well, it’s really not “unknown”. You see, our lovely 4-legged boy Jack loves to get up bright and early on Saturday and Sunday mornings. During the week, when the alarm clocks go off at 6 and 6:30, he grumbles and complains that it’s too early. But come Saturday morning - IT’S PLAY TIME! Yes, 5:30 this morning my little black alarm clock began his pestering, ever so slightly waking me up so that he could go outside and see what all the birds and squirrels were doing. I guess you can see who runs our household - and they don’t have 2 legs.

One thing about Jack, though, he plays at 200%. Even at 11 now, I’m still waiting on our little Lab to calm down. Friends had promised that he’d slow down at 2, but we’re still waiting…..

Have you ever watched a Lab at play? In many ways I wish that I could live life like Jack lives his. When he wants to do something, he puts every single bit of energy into it. He just lets loose, and doesn’t hold back. Ever watch a dog “wallering” in the grass?

As he’s gotten older, Jack’s really perfected the technique. When I see him wallering, I have nothing but envy about how he just goes for it, and doesn’t worry about form or modesty. He just plain enjoys himself. If only I could attack life like that.

Well, as he’s now decided it’s time for him to take a nice weekend nap, I’m wide awake and getting my list together. Go figure!!! Today’s plan is to get a few model kits out to model stitchers, and finalizing and releasing the new June designs and Needlework Building Blocks. Yeah!!!!

Have a great Saturday! I’ll be back in after the releases are ready.

Today, I start another wonderful year with Jim. Yesterday, you see, was the anniversary of our first meeting 14 years ago. Did I just say 14 years? Wow!

You know, that morning back in 1993, I had no idea about the man that was going to be walking into my life, and what a huge impact it would have on me. That day, I woke up looking forward to another exciting day in my new town of Atlanta. It also, I might add, was Memorial weekend Sunday, so I was happy to know that I wasn’t going to work the next day. Nothing exciting was planned, my roommate and I were just going to catch a movie with some friends. Amazing isn’t it? You never know when God has amazing things planned for you. I love how He holds our lives in His hands, and how He molds us into His children.

Looking back, it’s such an amazing life He’s woven for me. Now, it always isn’t beautiful and easy, but I now find those challenges He puts in our way exciting (for lack of a better word). For, all the hard times that Jim and I have worked through, have ended up being pivotal times and events in our lives, setting up for something even more amazing that we’d seen before.

I do hope that you have a wonderful day, for it could be the first day of an amazing life!

The design development process is very funny. It puts you in holiday moods at all the wrong times of the year.

This weekend I’ve finalized more of my Christmas designs, which will be coming out in the next couple of months. Now that it’s finally getting nice and warm in Richmond, I’m in the mood to dive into my Christmas boxes and start decorating. I’m really excited about the Christmas coming out for your stitching pleasure.

I’ve finally formalized my first chart with designs for Tokens and Trifles Sewing Cards. If you haven’t seen these cards, you just have to try them out. What an easy way to get those quick gifts taken care of. I’ve not even shared with my model stitchers - as I’ve stitched all the models. They’re a great travel project, because the sewing card and threads fit nicely into a small ziploc bag, and in my purse. Several of the models went with me to England, and what great airplane stitching they were. Even didn’t take up much space in my luggage - which definitely was a consideration. Keep an eye out for them, they’ll be coming out soon.

More are in the works - as I have another nice stack of sewing card models in ziploc bags a’waiting my stitching.

Well, can you hear it? Silence!!! Linda returned today from vacation, so Max the puppy is gone. We really did love having him here, but it’s a wonderful thing to be the aunt of a puppy. They come to visit, but then they go home. Almost as soon as they left, Jack immediately began a long Sunday afternoon nap, which still continues. AAAAHHHHHHH - tomorrow we can sleep in!

Well, this past week has been another busy one, but this time - it wasn’t all about either Jim or I. When we came back from Columbia on Sunday, we had 1 additional traveller with us. Jack, much to his chagrin, had to share the back seat with my sister’s Corgi puppy - Max.

Even though they live in the same town, we hadn’t had a chance to get the 2 boys together. They met for the first time in Columbia, and seem to get along fine. Max, knows how cute he is, and thinks that everyone (including all other dogs) thinks he’s adorable as well. Jack, on the other hand, is his normal “nothing exists around me except for my football and my tennis ball” self. Max runs around him in circles, while Jack just runs after the balls.

What a cutie he is!!!!

It’s been 12 years since we had a puppy. Boy, had I forgotten what that entails. Today, for example, I woke up to hear rain coming down pretty good.

• Jack’s version of this morning: Stay in bed until absolutely necessary. Get up once Sally begins moving around. Sally opens door. Jack goes out by himself, does his business, and hightails it back to the kitchen. Sally grabs nice and soft towel for a wonderful massaging drying off session. Jack makes sure food and water are in appropriate containers, then crawls up onto the sofa to continue the interrupted nap. Snore…..
• Max’s version of this morning: As soon as the dining room starts getting light, begin a low whine, gradually getting louder as room gets lighter. If Sally doesn’t appear, turn volume up again, and continue whining session. After Sally has finally gotten dressed, shoes, umbrella, leash, and has lassoed Max in his kennel, they BOTH go outside. Now, time to play!!!!! “Rain is sooooooooooo much fun. And, it’s nice and cool outside, so I could stay out here forever….” After much prodding, coaxing, and patience, Max finally does his business, but decides it’s time to do a full tour of the backyard. Finally, Sally gets Max inside and feeds him. After Sally finds a little time to get ready for work, it’s another trip outside. This time, we’re doing speed test loops around the back yard. Run-run-run - as fast as the wind… At the end of each loop, Max stops for just a moment right in front of Sally, pretending that he’s ready to go inside. As soon as Sally reaches down for him, let’s go again….. After 30 minutes of chasing a wet puppy, Sally finally gets hold of him. Then, instead of being dried with a towel, let’s play with said towel, making it impossible for Sally to get a good dry in. Once Sally gets Max back into his kennel-castle, then begin the low whine again, making sure to enstill as much guilt into Sally as possible, as she walks out the door for work. As soon as she’s out of ear shot, immediately begin to play with all the fun toys around, and think about when the first nap of the day will be.

MMMMMMMM, I had thought I was ready for another puppy, but I think I’m rethinking that one….

Happy Friday everyone!