Barely Alive...Just Kidding!

Doing well...not too much pain...thanks to the Percocet, LOL!

I appreciate your sweet well wishes and concern...all is going great actually. Cast comes off on Thursday, then a brace for 6 to 8 weeks...bummer! No stitching for a while yet...

A Quick Finish Update

So...I finally finished all the little things for Anne's win in my birthday giveaway and will be sending them her way tomorrow. I was so happy with the design I chose and hope that she likes it as well. I added the purple to incorporate one of her favorite colors that wasn't in the design, and it worked very nicely...what do you think?


Meg's Bunny
Sheepish Designs

Box Inside Lining

Being the Spring season, I stuck with all things Spring but managed to keep it within her favorite color palette (purples, pinks, and blues). And of course I included some sweet treats and a few little extras that every stitcher needs (needles, scissors, charms, fabby, linen). Even this cute little daisy needle minder I made rather quickly, and easily!

Daisy needle minder

I received the sweet little Scarlet Letter pattern that I won in Sharon's giveaway...I can't remember her blog to save my life; so if you can help an ole' lady out, I would sure appreciate it, LOL! And don't you just love the note card she sent with it...I need to find some of those.

Thanks a bunch, Sharon!

I will have to wait a while to start this little cutie as I will be having surgery on my right wrist next Friday...and wouldn't you know it, I am right-handed...that really stinks! I have to finish the Summer exchange I am doing with Parsley before my surgery, so that is my focus at present. Since I literally just started stitching it, I don't have anything to show...but, I plan to have it finished and on the way to her within the next week.

Not much new outside of that...have two papers and an annotated bibliography due by mid-May and am not quite sure how I am going to manage that with the wrist issues, but I will figure something out...I hope! Wish me luck...

Until later...hope you all have a wonderful stitch-filled weekend!

Happy Stitchin'
Terri

On the Hunt...

I have had a request from a Samplermaker Sister and would be so grateful if anyone out in blogland could help her out...

Bonnie's request...

I'm trying to find an out of print chart.  It's by Hester's Needle and is called "Hearts Left Behind".
If someone would like to sell it to me please contact...

Well, actually, please contact me, and I will send the information on to Bonnie.

dixiesamplar@yahoo.com

Thanks and happy stitchin'
Terri

What a Blessing!!

I would first like to say thanks to the many blogging friends who sent birthday wishes to both myself and my father...you are so kind and we were so very touched by your thoughtfulness!

My birthday weekend was made complete with the arrival of my sister. She and I had a great time running around and visiting together...doing girly stuff, laughing about old times, and enjoying each other's company. She treated me to a pedicure and a delicious lunch at Chili's; then, she and I and Lynn went to Red Lobster for dinner, yummmmmmy!!!

My birthday weekend ended with the arrival of Easter Sunday...and what a lovely day it has been!



HAPPY EASTER

Our day started with a lovely Sunday morning service to honor the supreme sacrifice our Lord and Savior undertook for us...such a humbling knowledge. We then shared a wonderful lunch and fellowship time with my sister, my father, and Lynn's parents. Everyone seem to truly enjoy the food and companionship and made some sweet memories today. I pray that each of you had a truly wonderful Easter holiday with family and friends, and especially Christ's blessings to you and yours.

Of course, Easter wouldn't be complete without some sweet goodies.  So I put needle to thread and threw together a little something cute and quirky from Meme to Mara, along with an Easter basket filled to the brim with eggs full of candy and fun little toys and what-nots.

French Easter Bunny
To Mara, from Meme

I know, he has no eyes AND no tail!

I also sent RAKs to two of my very special blogging friends. Mindi and April Mechelle are some of the first stitchers that I met when I began my blogging adventure, and they have become so very special to me...so, I put together a few little goodies and stitched up these little pin pillows to let them know I was thinking of them. Mindi and I are true stitching sisters; we share so much in common that it would seem we were separated at birth, LOL! April Mechelle is my Alabama sister; she lives in the north and I cover the south...but, we both love the great state of Bama. And, these ladies can stitch...man, oh man, can they stitch...and their blogs are quite nice to visit as well.

French Bunny (Mindi) and A Very Merry Spring (April)
JBW Designs

Mindi's little charm says "laugh" (sorry you can't see it)

So, with all the birthday and Easter celebrations, I almost forgot about my giveaway, LOL! I did forget about my mid-term that's due by midnight tonight, but that's a horse of a different color!!
Anywho, I remembered in time to get this post in and still be able to write my mid-term...so, without further ado, the winner of my birthday giveaway is...Anne! Congrats Anne; below is a little peek of what will be winging it's way to you soon.

Well, that's about it for today. I hope that the rest of your Easter is blessed and relaxing; I will be busy writing up a mid-term essay, I guess! Until later...

Happy Stitchin'
Terri

Birthday and Giveaways!

Happy 69th Birthday to my Daddy!!! I love you and hope that you have an extra-special day!

Lots of giveaways going on in blogland, so head on over and check them out...they are listed in my right-hand sidebar. Be sure to mention my name if you visit Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe, pleeeease.

And don't forget to comment here to enter my giveaway ending midnight March 29th!

I'll be back on my birthday with some finish snaps and the lucky winner announcement...I am too busy stitching right now, LOL! Until later...

Happy Stitchin'
Terri

Way Down in Dixie! Snaps & Giveaway Too!

Howdy gals and pals...and welcome to my new followers! It's been mighty busy around the ole homestead the past few weeks. I finally finished my online, 9-week course...with an "A", woohoo!! Thank you for all the well-wishes you sent my way; they really helped :-)

Once that was behind me, I hit the stitchy chair and got busy on a few little Easter goodies. They each only took a few hours stitching time; they were so easy and fun to make too. First up is "April" by LK...I switched out "April" and stitched "Easter," and chose to finish the bunny's cottontail in French Knots; oh, and I changed up the border a bit. Far be it for me to stick to the original design, LOL! Oh, come on...you know you do it too :-) At least I stuck with the called-for threads...but, I did stitch it over one.

April Monthly
(Lizzie Kate)

Next I knocked out these two little cuties by JBW Designs...love them...they're over one too :-)

Easter finishes

Bunny
(JBW Designs)

A Very Merry Spring
(JBW Designs)

I have some fun finishing ideas for each of these, along with the Valentine goodies I never got around to finishing; so, this weekend will be a busy sewing stint in the studio.

I received some totally awesome finishes from Faye (The Carolina Stitcher) today...check these out!

She is unbelievably gifted at coming up with the most creative finishes for stitched goodies, and is proving to be a huge inspiration to me to actually do some finishing of my own! Thanks so much Faye; I love all of them and can't wait until Christmas to show them off right.

Have you ever seen a pattern that you just had to have? Well, of course you have...silly me!! So, you can understand where I am going with this then, LOL. I have wanted to stitch the "Loara Standish" reproduction sampler from Joanne Harvey for years now, but it is only available in a kit form that is really expensive (IMHO). So, I had to just drool over and oogle all the finished pictures that bloggers have been sharing over the years...until now! Patti (The Rocky Mountain Stitcher) posted a picture of her finish a while ago, and I was so in awe that I just had to contact her in the hopes that she would be willing to sell me her chart. She graciously worked with me, and I am now the proud owner of this little (okay, not so little) sampler...and, I got it for a very fair price. I am overjoyed by her kindness! Isn't it lovely??

The Loara Standish Sampler
(The Examplarery, Joanne Harvey)

Don't know how soon I can get started on it, or how long it will take me to finish it; but, I intend to enjoy every minute of every stitch.

She was also finished with these little sweeties that happened to be on my wish list, so I begged, pleaded, nicely asked her to sell those to me as well...and here they are! I already have my Whitman Heart Sampler box ready for the Valentine design and set aside a pumpkin stem last Halloween for the Pumpkin finish, so I am ready to go.

Be My Valentine
On Pins and Pumpkins
(With Thy Needle & Thread)

In addition to all the stitching going on, I am also preparing for the Sequester-enforced furloughs that will be hitting DOD government employees at the end of April. That is going to be quite the pay hit, but I am already trying to line up a part-time job to help soften the financial blow. I know most Americans believe that all government employees make six-figure salaries and do nothing to earn it, but that is not necessarily the case. I work with a lot of hard-working, average-paid civil service employees who live paycheck to paycheck...and trust me, this is going to hurt them really badly. I am blessed that I only have myself to care for, but some of them have large families and only one income. They are being such troopers about it though; most are just happy to have a job, with benefits, and feel that we are doing our duty to the country to help get out of the debt debacle we are in...just wish our government felt the same way! I hope that you will join me in praying for our country's leaders, that they will be able to set aside all the petty behaviors and do what is right for this great country we are blessed to live in! Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a tangent...but, I am sure that you can understand or commiserate.

Anywho, enough of that...how about we end this post on a happy note? March is my birthday month, and as you know I love to have giveaways for just about any reason I can come up with; so, in honor of my 49th birthday (Mar 30th), I am offering up a sweet little package of goodies with a handmade item to one lucky winner, OPEN TO EVERYONE. Please leave me a comment ON THIS POST ONLY, and be sure to include a way to reach you should you win. Giveaway ends at midnight March 29th, and I will post the winner on March 30th (my birthday)...so, be sure to enter before then. Share the info with friends and blogging buddies if you choose; I would greatly appreciate the plug!

So, that concludes this episode of "Way Down in Dixie" with dixiesamplar...y'all come back now, ya' hear!

Happy Stitchin'
Terri

Long Time, No Stitch, Darn It!

Well, I guess I spoke too soon about my class being easy and relaxed...or my instructor read the post, LOL! I have been scrambling to stay ahead with all the requirements and keep my grade up...and, we are in the home stretch now; only a final exam and paper left to complete...thank goodness.

I haven't stitched since just before Valentine's Day, and I didn't even get a chance to finish up the little goodies I had stitched up :-( I had to put all my efforts into getting my Valentine Giveaway treats out to Catherine of Bramblewood Stitches in time...thank heavens she loved it all. She hasn't had a chance to post any pics yet, but here is the little handmade I sent along with some other heart-felt goodies.

I, too, was lucky enough to win a giveaway from Tricia of The Stamper's Stitches. She had already stitched this sweet SB design, but found that she was no longer attached to it; so, she kindly offered it up to a lucky winner...and that was me. I just love it, and I think this one is going to be my first Jill Rensel finish piece. I have been stalking following Jill's blog and her gorgeous framing talents for a long time, so I think I am going to give it a go. Here is the lovely piece I received, and Tricia was so sweet to include a lovely hand-made card and some sweet hand-dyed threads.

I have also been on a scissor-buying spree of late...I really don't know what has gotten into me, but I just could not pass up these gorgeous blades of silver! Aren't they stunning? And, I got them for 40% off at Hobby Lobby!!

Last, but certainly not least, are the most recent works of art from dear Faye of Carolina Stitcher. Not only is she a gifted stitcher, but she is also extremely talented at the whole finishing thing that seems to perplexed many of us here in blog land. Actually, the finishing for my Valentine Giveaway wasn't even my own design...nope, I had to blatantly steal borrow Faye's finishing of one of her earlier pieces! Thank you so much Faye for all your hard work, and the inspiration to try it myself...and, the check really is in the mail, LOL! Just take a gander at these lovelies, would ya'?

If you are interested in having dear Faye give you a hand, just visit her blog...her email is in her profile. You will not be sorry, I promise!

Well, I hope you enjoyed catching up, but that's about it for today. I still have a final and a paper to write, so I better mosey on out of here. Until later...

Happy stitchin'
Terri

Winners All Around!!

Go Ravens, Go Ravens, Go Ravens...woohoo, my boys won the Super Bowl and Ray-Ray gets to go out on a high note!! Congrats guys...you did an outstanding job this season! New Orleans, you are once again the ultimate and consummate hosts...thanks for letting us crash your town.

2013 Super Bowl Champions
Baltimore Ravens
Ray Lewis and Joe Flacco

 Now, for the really important winners...the winner of my Christmas magazine giveaway is.........

Alla-she has a lovely blog full of her gorgeous work

And for the 2013 Valentine Sweet Treat Giveaway...the winner is...

Catherine-Bramblewood Stitches blog

Ladies...be watching for my email some time this evening or tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a great weekend...I got lots and lots of sleep, but very little stitching! Gotta head out to class peeps...be back with a better update and snaps later this week. Until later...

Happy Stitchin'
Terri