If You're Looking for Something Totally Cool...

...then this is it! I've been participating in a small RR between friends for the past year. Nancy's RR is a Mill Hill Christmas selection of her own layout design. She chose nine of her MH kits, found a border freebie that she liked and adapted it, and each person stitched a house.
May I say that this piece is just gorgeous? The picture doesn't do it justice.

And the house I stitched...Victorian.

I also received my own RR back - Blue Ribbon Designs' Alphabet Zoo. Love it! Only a little more than five blocks to finish and it'll be done. I sent it off with one block stitched. Thanks to all!

Remodeling is still going on, though we're at a lull at a moment - waiting for some items to come in and then we go again.
It seems that everyone is having these horrendous winters with snow and ice. We actually had snow on Christmas Day here and Montana was as happy as a lark!


Aahh..back in the warmth with my best buddy, Mya!

It's good to be stitching once again and somewhat back online. Thanks to those that have asked about my mom. She's doing ok - hanging in there. She had her 90th BD and I got a good picture of her. Good thing she's not on the computer - she'd probably kill me for posting it...LOL

I'll say it again...Lord, please let me have my mother's genes.

And from my house to yours, everyone take care. :)

Life Marches On

Note the number of "items" on the counter. Alas, I've been remiss. (Note my dramatics here...) Normally I'm good about keeping up with the blogs I read, but for the past several months I've fallen way behind. It'll probably stay this way until after Christmas, but THEN...hopefully! LOL

We're sprucing up the house. To think it all started with a simple question of, "Some new furniture?" It was innocent, honest...who knew?
All kidding aside, the house inside is in chaos, but DH is truly thankful that for once in his life, he's not doing it all. :)

The house is much quieter now (well, except for the demolition parts). But we're staying busy; we visited our daughter and SIL (and Mya, of course).



My sweetie...

...then went to the last Stitching Jubilee to meet up with old and new friends. My pictures have disappeared off the planet from that, but we had a great time with Debbie and Teresa.
I also met Karen V. from an online group and she stitched this adorable Hansel to go with Brooke Nolan's Gretel.

Mary and I literally ran into each other at Bush Mountain's booth and had a nice little visit there.
And as always Kathy and I had a great time. Lyne and her mom came there and we took off to hang out. She's just had her baby boy :) ...


After that, off to the Pals retreat with Deborah...



Saw lots of friends and Charlene stitched this sweet little Autumn pillow for me. Love it!



And recently six of us went away for a stitching weekend. Nancy stitched us all a Christmas ornament.

Can you say adorable???

First stop - Stitching Bits and Bobs...what fun. Definitely thread heaven - she must have them all stocked; the walls were full of threads everywhere.

Browsing first...

No naming names, but certain people got up at the crack of dawn and were tired...but happy. :)

Converting...

And more converting...

Hanging out...we look industrious here, don't we? Hmmm, not sure how much we actually stitched that night, but we sure did laugh.

Show and tell pinkeeps from the Birthday Girl...

Fantastic no-sew cube...

Strolling around....

Karen taught Nancy and me how to make scissor fobs; I love mine!

Tree of Life Samplings had a giveaway - guess who won?? Winner could choose any two charts - aren't they awesome? Thanks, Jan!

Still stitching on Nancy's Mill House Christmas RR, but now it's down to the beading. Stitching time is limited, but it's coming along.


Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas. If I don't make it back before New Year's, have a blessed holiday time and take care.
Carolyn NC

Newsweek Ad

I just had to post this picture. This is an ad in a Sept. Newsweek (subscribers in OK) for Oral Roberts University and the man featured is my brother. Too cool. We didn't even know about it until my SIL posted something on Facebook about it. What would we do without Facebook? Kudos and much love to you, Bill.

Beautiful Fall Time

Wow - talk about wonderful weather. After the monsoons ended (at least that's what they felt like), the days have dawned with great sunshine and temps. A real fall, at last? We'll see. :)
I have finished another part on an RR - this was a really fun stitch and went fast.

My part in the RR....mostly - except for a couple of motifs.

Overall pic of Prairie Moon's Angel Train for Jodie. I think I might have to stitch this one for myself now, in Christmas colors. :)

September...Already???

It's very hard to believe it's been three weeks since the wedding; we probably won't get the pictures until a few more weeks still. It's been so busy, the time has flown by, but I have managed to stitch once again. This is my part on Natalie's RR, Jingle Tree Farm by Victoria's Sampler. Isn't it adorable? The only thing left is for her to put on the beads - a fun stitch, too.

And here's the piece in entirety, stitched by Natalie and the rest of us in the RR. Love it!

#3...the Final Wedding

My baby got married this past weekend and it was beautiful! It's hard to believe that she's now grown and on her own with her dear husband. But it's a good change and we're all so happy for both of them. We started off the weekend with the bridesmaids' luncheon...

The bride to be, her sister, and me..

Bethany...

The rehearsal...

DH and me at the rehearsal dinner...

My six at the dinner...

The future Mr. and Mrs...

The bridal dance...

Look at that smile!...

The father-daughter dance... DH used to play the guitar and sing to the children when they were little, so he chose one of those songs - Puff, the Magic Dragon...

At the reception...

Mr. and Mrs....

My favorite portrait... reminds me of the endearing, imaginative, playful child she was...

So now DH and I are nostalgic once again. We're used to having the kids gone, but this summer, two of them have been with us for at least half the summer, so the house was full again. Now it's quiet and we reflect on how blessed we've been to have had the privilege of raising our three children and seeing them all happily married to in-laws we dearly love. Lord willing we will never take this for granted, for tomorrow is never a guarantee.

Thank you all for letting me share my heart with you and know this fact...
I am officially retired from weddings! LOL

Now on to the stitching!