June blooms into summer

 

The days have been filled with extreme heat........bringing so many colorful flowers into bloom.  

I work in my flower beds in the early morning hours and then............

to escape the heat from outside, I prefer to let my needle create blooms with floss and fabric.

visit my cooking blog for this wonderful recipe

at this link

Blueberry Lemon Sweet Rolls

Wishing you gardens filled with lovely blooms!

The month of May is a time when

                                   nature really wakes up......from the wild flowers to wildlife

and everything  else that has been quiet and sleeping. 

No matter how harsh the past winter may have been,

everything comes back to life..........vibrant and lovely.

Now that the virus seems to be calmed down......all things we love to do

seems to be slowly waking back up. 

I have not spent a lot of my time with my needle to show you something stitched.

Instead, 

I have spent the past few weeks, waking up

my vintage shop.........which has been closed due to the virus.

Now that the virus seems to have calmed down, I hope to open 

to the public. Would you like a tour?

I started off by clearing things off of the floor, so that 

one can easily look at things without stubbing their toe. 

I also wanted the vintage glassware to be seen better and 

moved it to the middle table in the natural light.

As you can see, the cement floor is very worn.  It had been painted

by previous owners years ago and the paint has worn.

I chose an antique white paint for the floor and then stenciled

a design in a sage green

I left the futon/bed in the shop (on the left side of the photo)

so that if all of our children are visiting at the same time, 

there will be this extra space for them to come and rest.

I wanted the entrance in front of the door to have some kind of

rose design.  I painted an oval rug in this space.

It matches the sage green part of the wall of the shop.

The shop is full of tea cups

vintage dishware

vintage glassware

vintage kitchen gadgets

vintage cookbooks

vintage purses and jewelry boxes

and collectibles

and there are drawers and tubs full of vintage linens and crochet

The walls are also covered with needlework and paintings

One of my favorite things in the shop is this old mirror.

I had stored it away for years before I made the shop.

I just could not toss it and knew one day I would find the perfect

use for it.  

When I made the shop, my husband fixed it to the top of

an old dresser as decoration for the shop.  I have had the 

little porcelain butterflies for years and decided they would

be perfect to add to the mirror.

So now, while I wait for customers,

I will be returning to my stitching and  working with my needle. 

Do  you like vintage things?  

Do  you have a favorite shop to go roam 

and linger in? 

 If you ever

come this way.......my shop 

door will always be open for  you! 

It is April

 just like the droggy wild woods outside being awakened by the fresh spring rains, my creativity  has been awakened by my thoughts and inspiration of what I want to start to embroider on.........or the other things I want to get my hands busy in putting together.  Are you feeling the same?

I am not one to only super clean for "spring cleaning" .   I keep a clean house always and try to keep clutter......."uncluttered".  But I do love to go through my endless stash of things to start embroidering on and I love to re read and go through my collection of books to get inspiration to start a new project.  I had decided a while back that I would not purchase anymore fabric, embroidery floss , or yarn, until I have used up what I have.  For one reason.........I think I have more supplies than the local craft store......honestly! 

Because of the weather being pretty outside, I turned once again to my cement making and decided to make a few garden pieces.

I had noticed somewhere on the net, lovely cement spheres sitting in a landscape, and wanted to make some of my own.

I am thrilled at how mine came out.  I used cement dye for the colorful ones.

Now I am at a loss at exactly where I want to place them.

I am sure I will move these around to different places, until each piece feels like the perfect fit.

I also have stolen one of my husband's pink shirts............it is the most perfect shade of pink.  I had talked him into purchasing it, because I thought it would look wonderful on him, but, he is not a lover of pink as myself, and he did not like the way it felt.................so I was happy to claim it.  It is a bit over-sized..........but that is what I am wanting.

I am planning to wear it over a blouse, much like a light weight jacket.

 I decided to tint just a bit of the design and embroider with different hues of pink embroidery floss.  I will have more to show when I am finished. 

I finished my " Home"  embroidery.  I added lantana, hollyhock, chickens in the yard,

a sweet bluebird in the tree, and to top it off........hearts coming out of the chimney.

My children recognized it as our home right off. 

I have now only to stretch and frame it.  

I hope the fresh rain and air of spring has put spark of creative inspiration in you. 

 I look forward to hearing about the journey or process of your creative thoughts.....and seeing the many wonderful results and projects  that you get your hands busy  in creating. 

 

Wishing you a blessed Easter

 

And as He was resurrected

On that day, so very fair,

Let our thoughts be resurrected

From wrong thinking to God's care...

Gertrude Tooley Buckingham, "Easter" (1940s)

All Is Well

 

We made it home late yesterday afternoon.........with Zack. It is amazing at how no one stays in a hospital after serious surgeries these days!  The doctor felt that there was no need for us to stay in Dallas with Zack at the hotel, because he would heal better here at home. Zack was very much in agreement with that . LOL  He traveled well......and instead of sleeping all the way, he chatted more.  He is the same Zack we have always known........the surgery did no damage.  We are so thankful! 

Zack has a bit of time to heal and to recover........but he is doing well.

Thank all of  you for our prayers, your thoughts and comments with supportive words.

From our hearts........we thank  you. 

Here wishing you peaceful skies and happy days

Home

 

This is the first glance I had of  our home when we were

searching for a place out in the country to live.  ( the porch

was not as cluttered as you see in this photo) 

Something in my heart told me..........this will be the place

you and your family will live and grow for the rest of your

years.

I love the whole house, inside and out, and all of the grounds

in which my loyal dog and I wander and explore........

but the image of this front porch will forever be my favorite.

I am not the best watercolor artist, but I have always wanted 

to create a tinted image of the front porch..........

and I then wanted to embroider it and embellish the picture

with flowers that either existed or ones I dreamed would grow along 

the porch. 

   The first thing I had to embroider was my black cat.

I have had several black cats through the years.......they have always been 

dear to my heat.  Smokey, Salem...........and now

Taboo. 

And then, I started to embroider the existing Pyracantha bush and I have always wanted large pots of geraniums.......which I have never been successful at growing. 

I embroidered the leaves and berries on the existing Pyracantha

and Yaupon Holly bushes.

I have always dreamed of wisteria draping itself down

the front porch,

and there must be a large bush of antique pink and white

roses.  Which I am still in the process of stitching  

I have so much more to add..........and I have decided to title this piece

" Home"

for in just a few days........I will be longing for myself, my husband,

and our oldest son .....

to be home.

As you read this, we have since had the devastating news that our oldest 

son Zack, has 4 tumors on his brain.  One particularly large one must

be removed immediately.  

How much I want all of this to be just a bad dream that I soon awake from.............

but it is not.   We will soon be traveling, on the way to where Zack will be undergoing a long and tricky surgery within the next few days,

and we do not know what the outcome will be.

For those of you who have already known about this......

thank  you for your prayers and supportive words.

I ask that you continue to pray for Zack's surgeon and for Zack.

I do not know how long we will be gone.........so I will return here much 

later with hopefully...........happy news.

until then, take care, love all those near to you, 

and do not let one day go by without enjoying something

in it. 

Kathleen

A Frigid and Powerless Texas

 

 I am in the middle of a project not quite finished to post here,

and as some of you know, I have a farm blog

Eggs In My Pocket........you can visit at this link  

  

https://eggsinmypocket.blogspot.com

 I am beyond weary after the power outage that our power company put 

us through this past few days along with all of the hardships it has 

brought to us. You can read my post at the link above.

I hope to finish my latest project and will post it here soon.

Hope this finds you safe, warm and content.

******UPDATE 2/19/2021**********

Thank you Merry Old Dame Holly and Lady Locust for your offer

to come within the comfort and warmth of your home.........that is very sweet!

And thank you all for your words of encouragement and prayers.

Today was very sunny and almost all of the snow has melted.

Our well house may be thawed and running by this weekend.