Sunday Starts

 Hello friends!

Today I want to show you a few

new cross stitch starts.

First is Sweetheart Pears.

Doing these on a Rose linen with 

gray flosses.

My next start is 1776

Finished Liberty.

Finished Justice.

My start on 1776.

This should not take very long at all.

My favorite of the three.

Finally I decided to start a new sampler.

This one is called Faith by

Samplers Not Forgotten.

I chose the called for linen

which is 36ct Pewter and the called

for overdyed flosses. 

The saying is what drew me to this sampler.

"The best and most beautiful things

in the world cannot be seen or even

touched. They must be felt 

with the heart."

In other news,

well tomorrow starts by 6 week sabbatical.

I cleaned out my desk.

Brought all of my trophies throughout

the years home with me.

Brought my name tag home too.

Shredded all the paperwork

I would no longer need.

When I go back to work that final week...

it will be just to sit around and talk...

not something I am use to doing at work.

Tomorrow we are taking my brother

 out for dinner.

He seems to be handling things pretty well.

I call  him every other day just to chat

He will be going back to work soon, so that

will be good for him.

Before dinner,

Bob and I are headed out to visit

with our CPA to have our taxes done.

Then headed to the meat market to stock

up on meat for the month.

Then need to go to our township

to pay both our Winter house taxes

plus the water bill.

It will be nice spending time with Bob now

when he does not work the store.

Dinner tonight will be roast beef au jus

sub sandwiches with melted provolone,

along with twice baked potato.

Last night I made bbq chicken tacos.

We had margaritas with those.

A Valentine dinner just for the two of us.

We did not want to go out with all of the crowds.

Hope everyone enjoyed their Valentine's Day.

Post V Day Blessings To all!

Janice

Whippy Wednesday

 Hello friends!

Here is my February Whippy progress.

Am almost to the finish line 

with Sarah Casey Unwin.

Just this final corner of the border and one motif

to be completed and then off to the framer.

A year of stitching thus far but well worth it.

Next up is the mini version of

Prairie Schooler February.

Last year I ended up with just two blocks done.

Glad I did the groundhog last year...

cause am not a fan of him this year. 

Already finished the third block.

Am hoping to get this finish by month end.

My lunch stitch is Winter Quaker.

Last month this was where I was at.

Currently almost complete....

however I only have two work 

lunches left. WOOHOO!

So this may have to get finished at night. 

Feniscowles Hall in January.

Stitched in now the fence, 

deer and a few flowers.

Plus more of the house.

Plugging along on my tribute piece

for my paternal grandparents

and their parents.

Finally Two Hearts.

This was a start from 2024.

I never touched it last year.

Have gotten much farther along now.

I did change this snowman 

from pink to turquoise.

In  other news,

thank you to all the heartfelt comments

regarding the death of my SIL.

My brother seems to be in good spirits...

at least when I am talking to him.

It is so hard losing a spouse.

He has lost two wives now.

We had a heat wave yesterday.

It reached 45.

Bob said time to get out the shorts. LOL

Only three days left of work.

WOOHOO.

My portfolio has been taken 

out of my name now...so not much to do.

I do have meetings the rest of the week

just to discuss my clients 

with those taking over.

I just hope they take care of them

as good as I did.  

Well off to work I go now.

Getting up early will not be something I miss.

Neither will my hour drive each way.

Looking forward to getting up when

I feel like it...and just doing whatever

I want daily.

Mid Week Blessings To All!

Janice

February CupboardScape

My February CupboardScape

shaped up better than I imagined.

Added in some red including these

child's red shoes.

Then one day I was at our store looking

for more antique Valentine's when Bob

pulled out this box of antique postcards.

Perfect I said.

He wondered how I was going to display them.

Told him I was going to purchase some

small wood clothespins and hang

them from my antique tree.

Don't they look wonderful!

The red/ cream coverlet is hanging in the back.

Also wrapped the base of the tree in another 

small red coverlet piece.

So glad Bob did not know how to display them

in the store...otherwise they would not be 

featured in our home now. 

In other news,

I saw an old friend Sandy the other day.

We met through our store.

It was nice catching up with her.

Sandy when I retire, we need to go to lunch.

Last night I could not tell you how many

trucks I saw out on the bay near us.

Was told the ice there is 20 inches thick,

You would NEVER catch me out in

a vehicle at night or even the day

on any ice.

Today we will be headed out soon

for my SIL's funeral.

Not a fun time for my brother.

One full week of work left 

then off for my 6 week sabbatical.

Then 1 week back and its off 

to the sunset.

Cannot believe I have been talking retirement

for a year now...and it is finally almost here.

WOOHOO!

Well my friends, I hope you have

a blessed weekend.

February Blessings To All!

Janice

 

Winter Blues

January is over...

but the snow is not.

These are my 2026 Winter displays.

My mom sewed this pillow up for me 

years ago...and I will treasure forever.

Here in the North, most of the horses will

be sporting their outdoor blankets.

I decided to give mine a wool blanket too.

I kept the tree up and just took down

all of the mittens.

I like to keep up my living room tree

through January.

We spend our evenings here with

a fire in the fireplace most nights.

It is very cozy in the long Winter nights.

This snow fella my dad made and I bring

him out each Winter too.

Once again I took off all of the ornaments.

Just left the icicles on.

So simple and magical at night.

I adore this lil pillow too...but not handmade.

Brought out my Beemis Snowman.

I had a pair of socks I was going to throw away.

They had holes in them...

but decided to wash one and it fit perfectly

on his head. 

Back in 2024 I crocheted him a hat 

out of brown yarn.

Which one do you like?

In other news,

We went back to the grocery store

for more food.

I inquired about the cashier.

Was told she is alright and was actually

working that night later on.

She passed out because she had not eaten.

I sure hope she takes care of herself.

Yesterday we had more snow.

Phil the PA groundhog saw his shadow...

but the Canadian groundhog 

Wiarton Willie predicted

an early Spring.

I am going with his prediction

Am taking Bob in this morning

for an MRI.

He has been having daily headaches.

Hoping nothing major is going on.

The county we live in is running out

of salt for the roads. EGAD

I hope we dont get much more snow....

however it snowed again yesterday.

Snowing right now too. UGH

Winter Blue Blessings To All!

Janie

 

Friday Finish

 Hello friends!

I have two finishes to show you today.

When I first showed you all my blessings sampler,

this is where I was.

The pattern was a freebie from La D Da

 called Letters & Leaves.

Here is my finish.

I chose this striped fabric for my back.

Sewed this into my first sampler pillow.

If you notice the letter "W" is missing.

It was not on the pattern.

I was debating whether to add it in or not,

but chose to leave it off. 

For now it will reside here.

Need to stitch more now.

I would like to make lots more to go 

into a bowl.

As always it is rag stuffed.

 

www.samplers-and-santas.blogspot.com

 

Marly from Sampler and Santas

 places her pillows on shelves.

I do not have wall space for that

 which is a great idea, so a bowl it is for me. 

My second finish was my Blessing Sampler

from last year.

I only finished stitching it and tucked it away.

This was Robert Burns Sampler, Auld Lang Syne

by The Sampler Girl.

I backed this wee pillow with a piece

of red fabric from stash which I coffee stained.

Now I have 2 sampler pillows to display.

WOOHOO!

In other news,

our main road sucked Monday morning.

We had Dr. appts. to get to.

Plus our snowblower would not work.

Bob shoveled before we left.

I had errands to do for my mom.

Needed to get minutes on her phone.

Also needed to purchase a few more things

for her studio.

Right after I got home,

my sister texted me saying she already

got a few things.

Am ticked at her because she knew I was

getting these items,

We went over the list last Saturday...

and it was agreed I would get everything....

but thats my sister the controlling one. UGH

My stores are not just around the corner,

like hers are. 

Will be glad when my mom is moved in.

My stress level will go down.

Even the doctor said he could hear 

my heart murmur more pronounced this time.

I told him it was the cold weather... but it is stress.

Bob and I decided to go to dinner 

afterwards that day.

There was a little boy who told the waitress

it was his birthday and he was 7.

He and his parents and sister were sitting 

in the booth behind us.

I asked Bob for a couple of dollars.

When we were leaving I stopped at 

their booth and said, "I heard it was somebody's

birthday today. He smiled and said it was him.

I handed him a dollar and said Happy Birthday

to him. I then handed another dollar bill

to his smaller sister and told her I was giving

her this just because.

Their mom said how sweet and told them

to thank me.

I just smiled and we walked away.

I love seeing kiddos smile.

It makes my day!

Bad news now.

My SIL passed away early this morning.

Her heart gave out.

My brother could use some prayers.

This new year has not been good for my family.

 Blessings To All!

Janice