Breast Cancer Fobs

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997, a friend of mine asked me to make her a breast cancer fob that she could clip on her purse in my honor.  Little did I know that it is still clipped to whatever purse she is carrying to this day.

In the early summer of 2015, this same friend was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She asked me if I could make more fobs so she could give one to her female family members.  I worked on these this week and have them ready to get to her (we now live 100 miles apart). 

Layne
Alabama Cross Stitcher

Snow Day, Though Small

Our local weather people were forecasting snow for Friday, January 22.  Since moving to Huntsville, Alabama, I have been impressed with the meteorologists on our local NBC channel.  They seem to almost always be spot on whether it is storms, tornadoes, snow, or just the temps.  I wasn't so sure they were going to get it right this time.  The temperature had been in the 50's and we had a lot of rain the night before and even that morning.  I should have known not to doubt this team of weather experts.  At 12:45 pm Friday, it began to snow really heavy with big flakes.  It did seem to be melting though as it hit the wet, soggy ground.  As it continued to snow, we started to see a dusting on the grass and then a little more coverage and a little more.  By dark we had a solid covering of the white stuff!  All in all, we ended up with about 1 1/2 inches.  Now I know to some of you folks reading this, you are laughing.  Ha!  We don't get a lot of snow in the southern United States, so we take whatever we can get.  I will tell you that I have only lived in the northern part of the state for 5 1/2 years and have had more snow (even a couple of large ones) than we ever had in the central area of the state.  I leave you with a few pictures of our small snow.

Once a Year, Really?

I've said it before, I'm not a very good blogger!  I would never make it if I was being paid by sponsors, advertisers, etc.  People who blog on a daily basis either like to write more than I do or have more time than I do.  Every time I post, I say I'm going to do better. Ha!  I won't say it this time and we will see what happens.

On to the subject of cross stitching.  I told my husband a few days ago that I actually finished more cross stitch pieces when I only worked on one at a time.  In my early years of cross stitching, I actually worked on one from start to finish before I started another.  When I started stitching more than one, I finished less.  Kind of frustrating. 

I have a several Christmas pieces (well, really more than several) that I sometimes forget about and don't work on during the year.  Fall rolls around and I remember that I should have been working on this one or that one.  Such is the case with the Hinzeit Crystal Reindeer. If I only do one reindeer a year, we're looking at four years to go and then add a year for Rudolph and a year for the sleigh. Get the picture?  I have made the decision to work on these little guys as much as possible and maybe get them finished by Christmas 2016.  Below is a picture of my current progress.  Forgive the wrinkles! No need to iron it and wrinkle it as soon as I pick it up again.  I usually work in hand and keep the left end rolled while I'm working. 

Wish me luck getting these little guys finished!

Layne

Alabama Cross Stitcher

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

I live in north Alabama and we don't get snow often.  A few threats here and there that usually don't materialize.  The first year we lived here (2010), we had four snowfalls.  One was actually a lot of snow and was very pretty.

 

We were predicted to get snow a couple of weeks ago and nothing happened.  The prediction this week was for snow last night and it did!  We have a couple of inches where we live and it is so pretty.  I know...a couple of inches is nothing to some of you, but to us, well, we will take it.  We are predicted to get more snow Wednesday night and into Thursday. 

 

Here are a few pictures of our current snowfall.

 

The first two photos were made very early this morning before it was completely daylight.  the other was taken an hour or so later.

 

~~Layne~~



Another Project

A good many years ago, I inherited a lot of cross stitch items (books, fabric, thread, etc.) in a divorce situation.  One of the items was a partially started Christmas placemat, but no chart to go with it.  I did finally, with the help of some other cross stitchers, locate the chart.  My plan all along was to finish the placemats and give them back to the person that gave me all the stash.  I had worked a little on it, but it is full of confetti stitches.  I hate confetti stitches.  I pulled it back out this weekend and made a major dent in what was left to do.  I still have just a little to add and it will be ready for the backstitching.  Then, there will only be three more to do!





Picture Promised in Previous Post

This is the piece I finished quite a few years ago.  I would forget about it until Christmas time and then it was too late to have it framed in time to use for the holiday that year.  This past year I remembered and had it framed and got to use it at Christmas.  (When I loaded the picture here, it really changed the quality.  I'll try to get a better one.)

 



Where Has the Time Gone?

The time does fly by!  Also, add the fact that I'm just not a very good blogger.  I tend to forget about it and then there are big gaps in posts.  Another problem right now is that I am having computer problems and getting the same error messages at random times.  Hubby is still looking into it and maybe it will be resolved before too long.

 

It's hard to remember back over the time that has passed for noteworthy items.  I'll try my best to find something worth reading.  I finished physical therapy following my shoulder surgery in early July.  I discovered about that same time that I had a foot problem.  Saw one doctor twice and medication did not help the problem.  He said I should see his partner and be evaluated for surgery.  I did and knew surgery was a must whenever I was ready.  Since we had already booked vacation at the beach the last week of October and first few days of November, we decided it would be best to wait until we got back from vacation.

 

The beach was very pretty during this time of the year.  Temperatures were very mild and only needed a light jacket at various times.  We love Destin, Florida!

 

 

But, all good things must come to an end!

 

Foot surgery was the next thing on the agenda.  This took place the middle of November.  Things are going well, still have a good bit of swelling and soreness, but recovering well slowly.

 

Thanksgiving happened with lots of help from various family members handing me things in the kitchen and helping with the cooking, etc. to keep me off of my foot as much as possible.  I actually started Christmas decorating before my surgery which was way early for me.  I knew I could not do it all after surgery.  I did manage to do more after the surgery with frequent stops to prop the foot up and reduce the swelling.

 

I was not able to do any Christmas shopping and did not even enter a mall or store.  Saved a lot of money!  Most all of our shopping was done on line.  We do a lot on line each year but even more so this past year.  We also found out on Christmas day that we would become grandparents in July.  Fun times ahead!

 

My cross stitching has been all over the place.  Too many projects going at once.  I did get a piece framed that I had done many years ago.  I will post a picture later of it.  I think it is still on my camera.  I'm behind on pictures, too!

 

Well, I guess that is all for now.  Will add the picture later and anything I might think of between now and then.





 

Layne