October 30 - November 1 - Halloween 2009

This Halloween My family went to Big Bone State Park for their Halloween Fest. In the past they have had so many activities... and planned so much fun things for us to learn. Like one night late... a bon fire and an OWL walk, another night just smokes by the rec center... then there was the Ghost Walk that we always did... for SEVERAL years we have looked so forward to this event!

THIS YEAR however... there were NO special events that were like this... the "ghost walk" this year... was every one meeting in the rec center.... and watching a lap top of the findings that they had in the past there at the park. My dd and I both stood there waiting all bundled up for the long walk thru the park... and everyone left and there was NO WALK... I do NOT call this a GHOST WALK... I call this BORING!!!!!! But here are some of the pics that we took of the night!

On Friday before we left ... it was 73 degrees and we were packing ... I went over to my mom's house and as I opened her screen door... I was stung by a bee... I am allergic... so this was not good!!! I was swelling and feeling pretty bad. But determined with Benadryl that I would not let this ruin my time! Then the DH locked his Keys in his truck at work... so we got off to the park about 2 hours later then we planned... WOW ... what a day! That night was High winds... and hard rains... and brought in with it a COLD FRONT.

The next day temps were in the 30's another COLD camp trip!!! BRRRRRR!!!!! Campfires are so awesome when it is cold like this though!!!

My DD had to work that day but was off in time for the park trick or treat event! Here she is dressed up at her work that day!!!!! Isnt she a pretty lil pirate!!!

After the trick or treat here are my lil monsters (well not so lil anymore!) going through their candy... what a HAUL!!!!

Because of the cold weather... my dd took off the lil pirate costume and went as Medussa with snakes in her hair and a pink toga over her winter jacket!!!!

My DS went as a BONE MAN... with a bone mask and all!!!!!

OH... and the DH ... he went as a evil CLOWN!!!

These were our pumpkins that we carved earlier in the day on the back of my DH truck tailgate... all lit up to greet the little guys as they came around for their candy... we sat right in front of this tailgate in chairs... It was fun to see all the costumes!!!!

This is a pic of my DS earlier that day... carving the pumpkins... See if we had smell-o-blog software... or feel-o-blog ware... you could see that the hand in the front has some of the pumpkin guts all over it.... he was trying so hard to SLIME me with that stuff!!!!! How fun!

Here he is being a good boy and keeping the pumpkin stuff to himself!
Happy Halloween everyone!

October 16-18 Camp Wildcat! pics galore!

I have not been able to post in a while but still want to share some things with you ladies...

October 16-18 we camped at Levi Jackson State Park in London, KY (one of our favorite campgrounds) We attended the Civil War re-enactment of Camp Wildcat ! WOWOWOW!!!!
If you have never been to a re-enactment... and you like history... you need to go! It was soooooooooooo Cold the day we went.. Cloudy and a high of 31 degrees... and we all had a blasst!!!!

Several large cannons on the South and the North side started out the battle... this was not that far away... and was so intense... to feel that cannon fire in your chest go off...

This is the memorial stone that is laid now to mark the area the stone next to it lists the many men that laid down their lives at this battle. It is so sad to think of this!

This was the North starting their battle with cannon fire

This is a Northern troop caught to far over in the Southern battle line as they chased him out... That horse is just absolutely gorgeous!!!!

OK... here is My lil baby... trying to keep warm with a cup of Hot Chocolate!!!! They fooled us and put them in Starbuck Cups... Wow that made me want Starbucks even more!

Showing the men fallen in the battlefield

North is making their way up into southern field area

The start to the end of the battle... the sound of them honoring the brave soldiers for both North and South forces that bleed and gave their lives that day so many years ago!

This is a picture of the Southern camp hospital... this table showed samples of actual instruments that were used.... down to the way the pain killers were made...Horse hair for stitches... ect...

Look at those Bone Saws.... WOW!!!!

This was down the main fair of the Southern Camp... those preparing and warming before the battle!

There was a position for all... young and old. This lil fella was so cute!!!!

Again... This battle was both educational and very entertaining... they celebrated the spirit that we had and the lives that were sacrifices that were made there on that very spot! That you to all the re-inciters that are part of the London, KY chapter that worked hard on making this battle what it was!

Awesome Giveaway to announce!

Ladies... Please go to this link and check out the GORGEOUS dog Rory... and also the wonderful giveaway that she is having!!!!!

http://kathystitchcomments.blogspot.com/2009/10/to-thank-you-with-special-giveaway.html?showComment=1256816035443#c1881535011561017974

The names for this giveaway is going to be chosen by Rory on October 31st.

Good Luck to all!!!!!

Wish list wants

Girls... I have to show you these cute little elves... I LOVE them and want one so bad!!!!
I hope I can get a job before Christmas to be able to get one to put in my house for Christmas. I wanted one for Halloween too but that is NOT going to happen!

Here is the link...
http://www.annaleegallery.com/product.html?t_q=502808

This is the one that I just Love!!!! But it is soooooooo hard to choose!!!! They are all sooooooooo cute. I see a lot of the girls that are displaying their cross stitch work with these little elves holding them! It is simply ADORABLE!!!!!!

Oh look at this one!!!!!
http://www.annaleegallery.com/product.html?t_q=502009

I hope one day soon to get one of these little guys!!!!

Giveaway News ... You have to look!

I am starting tonight girls by giving you a link to another blog that I visit daily and ask you to look. She is doing a give away and it is AWESOME! It is a Breast cancer Awareness giveaway... please go and take a look:

http://feathersinthenest.blogspot.com/2009/10/october-give-way-breast-cancer.html


FINAL RETREAT DETAILS...

OK girls... I have to tell you the stories of the WAY HOME from the retreat!

So we leave the Cavalier ON TIME just like we planned... and drive for maybe 45 minutes... and we are at a stop!!!! COMPLETELY!!! We sat in a Traffic Jam for 3 hours... and then finally found out that there must have at one point been an automobile accident! We traveled a little under 10 miles in almost 3 hours... WOW !!! Now we are behind...

The next even was in Virginia... where we were behind a truck hauling Cows... and was talking of COW subject... like "Happy Cows are in a Happy Trailer! " and What conversations they were having in the back of that truck... when all the sudden... out of the back of the trailer came this RUSH!!!!! and Gush!!!!! It was Cow PEEEEEE and was Spraying all over my car... SHEWIE!!!!! Oh we laughed so hard... What if our windows were down... that would have been so Gross... OK well about 10 minutes later a fella on a Motorbike...decided to get in behind this trailer... OMG... we laughed sooooooooo hard ... he had no bug guard... so if those cows decided to go to the potty again... he was in for a YUMMY event and some strange looks at the truck stop later that night. Oh we wanted to follow them to find out what happened but they both turned off together!!!! That would have been soooooooooo funny...

NOW... we are back in line and heading the course for our trip home... in West Virginia now... and all the sudden out of NOWHERE jumps out a BLACK BEAR... Yes... a BLACK BEAR... Looked to be fairly young... and a little thin... But he acted as if to Swat the car in front of us and then leaped over the back of the car... and over the guard rail as if it were NOTHING!!! OMG!!!! I have NEVER in all my years seen this happen. How cool was that!!!

As Dusk approached ... we saw all kind of deer... and even Coyotes that was as usual very fun... I love the wildlife.

In the darkness and winding thru the hills of West Va... many hours later... We are cruising fairly good beside a big truck with 2 carriers ... so it was a BIG truck. The front cab tires hit a Skunk... rolled him over into my lane... and wouldnt you know we hit him too... and he SPRAYED my car like crazy... Well goodness you would too... if you were just hit by a truck... rolled under a SUV and hit again... Poor fella... But now My car had Cow pee and skunk spray all over it! WOW!!!! what an interesting smell... when we stopped to get gas... YUCK!!!!!

OK then we hit Winchester KY and it is SNOWING!!!!! WOW ! We arrived at home around 2 a.m. and I was NEVER so happy to see our area!!!! What a trip!!!! But it is all good for some laughs!!!

Mor Pics and stories from the Retreat!

Ok Ladies... as Promised... more tales of the R&R retreat!

This is me and my DD on the Beach... the wind was blowing pretty good but the temperature is lovely... the waves and the water was awesome!!!!

On to some more of the kits given at the Retreat... On the left of this Picture is the gifted kit that The girls from Blackbird Designs gave us. The first night we had a special get together and they talked of many different ways to finish our pieces and even crafty ways to take something that we had stitched and make more items out of it! It is a LOVELY kit and even has the lighthouse that we visited the day before that is at Ft Storey.

On the Left side of this picture is the kit that was given to us the second night as we all gathered for a "circle of friends" gathering... What a blast... finding out how all the retreats have been together... and how this circle of friends that we have been such a part of had grown and become the awesome group of people that it is today! Each person had helped with this... and it had a cute little acorn charm that Charland made for it! WOW is it cute!!!!

Below is the Retreat Piece that The Shepherd's Bush Girls brought for us. They also gave us a gorgeous hand made box and during the class they told us that theyhad brought us gifts...
They gave us the cutest little pair of scissors... with a beaded fob... Mine had a birdy on the bottom... and then they brought us a craft project... we made a little accorn pin cushion of wool... it is adorable!











This is a picture of one of the parting gifts from the retreat... Last year they gave us a Mermaid Necklace that Charland had made especially for us. This year the accorn with the circle of hearts in the center! Oh it is LOVELY!!!!!!

OK... so I have to put this little birdie pic in here... cuz he is a cutie Patootie... and also because He was probably standing when I started this post... and now is tired... and sat down!

This is the Welcome Sign of the Cavalier Hotel !!! see... Dying To Stitch! That was us!!!!

After going to the shop and buying so many goodies... we went across the street to Ruby Tuesdays and had the Best Lunch!!!! This is us as we first got there!

On the Beach There was a Ginormas (this is a word tonight! lol!!!) statue of Neptune with all kinds of sea life around him...

Here is my DD posing with one of the tiny little guys!
And Below is a Pic of us with King Neptune and all his creatures!

SHEW!!!!! I think that is it for today... I do however want to tell you all about our trip home still ... more for tomorrow's post!!!

Have a great night!

Keep Crossing those stitches!

Dying To Stitch Retreat Post 2

Ok Ladies... These pics are a little out of order ... but I am just wanting to get them on here so that you can share in the fun time that was had by all that were there! So here goes...

This is Barb and Alma- BlackBird Designs and they are showing the WONDERFUL project that they had for the gals that took their class... Oh I loved all of the projects so very much! These girls are a HOOT!!!! They are so funny and you can just see why they are as close as they are... Their stories are so wonderful... and the way that they take a piece stitched... and show you so many different ways to change it and use it and add this or that to it to give it a different look! It is WONDERFUL!!!!

This is my best Friend Debby and my DD stitching together at the welcome and make it take it time! The room was so awesome... the sun was out... it was bright... and you could see ocean from all around you! It was just Lovely!
The day before it all got started ... we went to the Dying to stitch shop... and bought some things that "wecould not live without!" giggle! If you have not been to their shop... it is a MUST SEE!!!!! They have so many models... and samplers Galore!!!! It is a very tempting and enabling place. Then there is a bead shop next door and a few doors down there is a Quilting and fabric shop that is just as bad... all those lovely Blackbird Stockings... well look no further... they have the PERFECT fabric for each one of them!
After the shop and some lunch at the Ruby Tuesdays... We went to the hotel and checked in and then was off to Fort Story... It was interesting getting in but worth the time we had in there.... This is a pic that shows the 2 lighthouses... the black and white one is the Newer on and is ran by the Coast Guard... you are not able to go inside of it... but can go up to it. The brick on is further out and you can go into it ... 6+ floors of steps and a terribly straight up ladder later ... the view is AWESOME!!!! The Brick lighthouse is the first place that the settlers stepped onto shore from their journey to the new world. It is very exciting to see. The small cross in this pic is a memorial site!
This is just a closer View of the Fully Functional Light house there at Fort Story!

OK... well this is the Horseshoe Crab that we Named Phillip. He was a good ole crab! and we had to take a moment of silence... and to memorialize his life! giggle... He was if nothing else very educational. He was a very pretty crab as far as crabs go!

This is Jeanette Douglas... and she is a HOOT and a Half... I just love her dearly! She had a Beautiful Kit for the girls that took her class and also had an exclusive accessory chart to go with it. LOVELY things... and in this accessory kit was a sissor fob... I thought this was soooooo cool... She included a Canadian Quarter... and you were to place an American Quarter in it too as a weighting system... that was the Circle of Friends Continues!!!!! WOW how smart!

OH and she showed us how to make FREE Fireworks... HOW FUN!!!!! 1...2 ... other side... 1...2... up above ... WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

See ... Fireworks!!!!

This was one of my projects... I took the track that Had Charland and Shepherd's Bush... so on the Second day I had my class with Charland and Sidney(her daughter) as usual... Charland is a WONDERFUL teacher... She tries to remove all anxieties that a stitcher might have. She is so comforting and I feel as if I have sat with a loving mother and learned so much each time I take her class.

I nearly Cried when she showed her project at the reveal... This is so perfectly what I am into at this time in my stitching cycle! I love the Colors... the fabric... the flosses used... the way it is finished and of course I love the charm. I took several pics and none really do it justice! Thank you so much Charland for this LOVELY piece... I am stitching it and will cherish it always! What a treasure to add to my collection!

This is just the other side of the piece...

This is the Package that it came in and shows the pieces all together! Isnt it lovely!

Finally for this post I wanted to show the Group picture of the Designers and the Dying to Stitch Girls... and to be able to thank them...

BlackBird Designs- Barb and Alma

Jeanette Douglas

Charland and Sidney

Shepherd's Bush- Teri and Tina

Dying To Stitch- Ann, Pat, and Bindy

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!

Thank you for your hard work... for the many calls... the planning... the dealing with the hotel that could not have been more perfect... the kitting... the designing... the sewing... the boxing... the behind the scenes issues that were dealt with and taken care of so that we had this wonderful time. Thank you for all the thoughts that went into this lovely retreat.

Thank you Teri and Tina for the many extra gifts that you gave us in our class...

I just can NOT thank everyone enough for this awesome retreat!

I must also add that there were MANY girls in the Dying To Stitch shop that assisted with getting things completed... Fabric cut... and the little boutique ready and staffed for this event! Thank you to them also!

First Retreat Post

On Wednesday we left Kentucky around 6a.m. headed for Virginia Beach, VA and a Retreat with the R& R girls at Dying to Stitch. Myself, my daughter my best friend Debby, and a close friend Patti hit the road. We arrived in the Va Beach area almost 900 miles and many hours later... that evening around 6 p.m. We stayed a few miles from the Dying to Stitch shop the night before to get sleep and get started on this wonderful retreat... I will post more about my goodies in another post... and also about the beach and the findings and the excitement that happened while we were there. This is just a start and would be WAY to large of a post if I did it all in one post! so here is the start of the postings...

Upon arriving at the Cavalier in Va Beach... this welcomed us...

(there were 2 weddings that same weekend... and WOW were they lovely! Congradulations to these 2 couples and their families. They looked like they were having a BLAST!!!!) When we signed into the retreat... this was the bag that Ann, Pat, and Bindy gave us. It had out opening project, schedule, and another cute little project with it! I LOVE this bag and would gladly buy more of them! They are so nice with a handle on the top and zip closed! Thank you ladies for thinking of this WONDERFUL greating bag!
This is the View of our hotel from the beach... YES... ON THE BEACH... I am standing in the ocean taking this picture! If you look at the building our room was the 2nd room from the end towards the beach... on the 4th floor... it was WONDERFUL!!!!! we woke up to the sound of the waves... we were able to clearly watch the dolphins play in the ocean... they would hop and bob up and down. It was adorable!
At the end of our opening make it and take it project the designers came in and displayed the weekends projects... this is Blackbird designs showing their project.

This is the view from our stitching table... it was a GORGEOUS Room... hotel and view!

Here is Patti working on her Make it and take it! Beside her is one of our new friends made ... that I hope to keep in touch with and see again soon!

Will post more later !!!

Some Starts... and Some Finishes!!!!!

Fall is HERE...

STARBUCKS is now serving PUMPKIN SPICED LATTE. It what seems like a short minute... the leaves are starting to change... and some are even falling off the trees. We had a cold snap last week... and it was a wakeup call to mother nature that another season of warm was drawing to a close.

But Did I tell you.... STARBUCKS is once again serving

PUMPKIN SPICED LATTE!!!!! YES!!!!

I met my friend yesterday and we stitched at Starbucks while my daughter was working I have some photo's to show you for today. Guess what I had to drink???? WOW you gals are good!!! How did you ever know!

FALL... It is usually my favorite time of year... the cooler weather... the leaves falling... it has always been my favorite time to stitch... not to mention that halloween charts are my Favorites!!! then there is the fact that the breeze of winter is close behind. This year has had so many thing take place... I have not been able to stitch and enjoy it! This year has been filled with trouble... the last year hurricane storm that hit my area doing so much damage brought with it nothing but bad! It all started a few weeks after the storm hit. It ranged from damage to our house... downsizing at the company i worked for meant lay offs for me and several friends (we are all STILL unemployed) then making new friends only for them to leave the area, and the loss of an old friend who died fairly suddenly. The loss of what I THOUGHT was a friend... or maybe that one is for the best... I found out her true side... and would not have chosen this type of person as a friend anyway. The list goes on and on... but needless to say ... I am finding it hard to stay focused on and excited about my stitching. That upsets me... it has always been my way to release... to wind down from the day... and to let the stressers of the world... float away. I have also not been able to camp much this year. At our frist big trip my daughter was rushed for an emergency surgery... and this has set our year behind a bit. We were not able to do some of the things that we had planned this summer ... and cancelled several camping trips. I feel like all I want to do is park the camper at a local campground and stay in it away for everything for a few MONTHS... well maybe not Months... maybe YEARS!!!!! ;)

Dont get me wrong... I stitch... just dont enjoy it as much as I have in the past... it is linked to so much bad that happened to me this year... and that leaves it hard for me to right now to even do! I am sure time will heal all... it usually does! But lesson Learned... and I will not go back down that road agian! Some people are not worth the heart ache!

This year has also meant the loss of a dear stitch buddy that was fairly close to my age... and that has made my heart very heavy too!

I did stitch this weekend... with my dear Friend (sister seperated at birth) Debra ... at Starbucks... and have some pics to show you all!

WOW... did I tell you all... Starbucks is once again serving Pumpkin Spiced Latte???

This was what I worked on at Starbucks...

a stocking from the 'Tis Halloween Book from Black Bird Designs. This was a FINISH!

Just Nan- Halloween Tin - BOO!!!!

This was last years Tin... and was very easy to finish... and looks so cute.

I did the finish work on it Friday- I didnt feel like stitching...

but wanted to do something stitch related.

Above is a pic of the top of it

Below is a pic that I think shows off the cute tin that goes with it!

I finished stitching this piece on Thursday

and now need to finish it into the long cube like I had planned!

La D Da

Something Wicked I know it is not much of a post today... but I wanted to touch base and at least show you what is going on in my world!

Of Course I CAN!!!! Pictures GALORE!!!

Yesterday... I spent the entire day in the company of some LOVELY canning ladies her in my area. I took a Day long class on Canning... the Do's and Dont's. Basic principles on Freezing... and Drying foods... It was from 9a.m. to 3 p.m. and we shared a wonderful lunch and I will do this again if I can!

It was offered throught our local chapter of Home makers... and our County Co Op Extension center!

Here is a picture of the 2 projects that I did... Tomatoes... with the basic Boiling Canning method... and Carrots with the Stem or Pressure canning method... this picture also shows the wonderful binder they gave us for instructions on each subject.

I HAD A BLAST!!!!! and I really needed to have a good time yesterday! BAD!!!

I have had a stitching friend burn me so incredibly bad this past month that is has tortured my very SOUL. I have had a TERRIBLE time even stitching... and really dont know what I am going to do about it! It had to do with some stitching that I did for her and her not appreciating it... and the things that were said and done were just OUTRAGEOUS. I have a good group of ladies that I hang out with and they have followed these happenings... and have come to my aid... with kind words for me... and with suggestion on how to handle things... but I am just very lost with all of it. I hope to be able to pull myself up out of this and brush myself off and continue stitching. I tried to pull out a fun project... but the WANT to stitch is just not there right now... resembles .... bamboo shoots under the nail... WOW!!!!

I started this little chart from La D Da... and it has been fun! that is what I am focussing on right now... FUN!!! Here is my progress...

I also wanted to show you ladies a few pics of one of my birthday gifts... Just nan Tin... it is a new release... and WOWOWOWOW!!!!

It is ADORABLE!!!!!!

Look how nice the tin is ... the colors are so vibrant on this tin!!!!!
This next part of the post... I am going to BRAG for a bit and then post a finish... Now that we know both have been recieved..... I can safely do this.....

My daughter and I both signed up for the Round 3 Prairie Schooler Exchange and these were pics of what we stiched... assembled... and sent out!

This first picture is of my 17 year old daughters project. I am soooooooo very proud of her. She has only been stitching a short while... but has become VERY addicted to it! This is the flat fold that she sent out to the person she was assigned... and I thought she did a SMASHING job!!!


WAY TO GO MY LITTLE CHICKEN!!!!!!
I have several Pictures that are if the project that I have completed for my exchange person... but when she posted and had assembled them all together... I loved the way she did it... so I am using her picture to show them all at one time!
Thank you for posting this LOVELY picture!

I wanted to end my post today with a picture that several friends have send me... they are claiming that this is me in the morning.....

WOW!!! I look AWESOME
... and a 2 fisted cup of coffee... does not sound too bad right now! Have a Great day Ladies!!!!!

Another Giveaway...

Girls... Take a look at this giveaway and at the Awesome Blog. I have been following her blog for a while now...

http://threadgatherer.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-anniversary-giveway.html

Good Luck!