"Hot Cocoa" progress

This is my little bit of progress on "Hot Cocoa". I hope to add to it today. The picture is pretty accurate as to color and I am really pleased with the colors of the fabric and silks working up.

Not much stitchy stuff going on in the Thicket but yesterday my third call (at work) is one I would like to share. I spoke with a Mrs. Kathy who is 62 and she up front said she is told she gives way too much info. She wanted to refill a prescription which I helped her with but she went on to tell me she was bi-polar and the challenges she had in her life. She was VERY spiritually founded and as I have long believed, people with mental health issues seem to be be much more connected with God. It seems He connects with them in a more profound way then with individuals such as myself who are deemed "healthy" in a mental capacity. I could have talked with her all day as she was SO full of wisdom. She shared she had 3 times in her life where she knew God was right there with her. I told her I had only had 1 experience where I knew God was in my presence here on earth. I told her the feeling was beyond words but SO intense and I was very emotional as I was saying this to the point she heard it in my voice. I told her I prayed for another experience just like that, to feel God inside me and surrounding me all at once. She told me that her minister told her that is exactly what the Rapture will feel like and that blew me away! As we were ending the call she told me she had 159 angels all over her house which she collected over the years and she wanted me to know that she had just named one after me. I was sobbing as we hung up, told her I loved her and would pray for her. There are NO coincidences as to who comes into your life on a daily basis and I have NO doubt that she was sent my way to strengthen my faith and love of God.



Mrs. Kathy struck me as a true gift from God. She said life brought some very troubling people into her life but told me that Billy Graham said our job is to love these people and it is God's job to judge these people that are troubling and then to judge us on how well we loved these troubling people. How simple and yet, difficult.



Thank you God for sending Mrs. Kathy my way, she has forever changed my life. So here at the Oh, so humble Lilac Thicket we pray for blessings for you.

My new project

This is my newest project "Hot Cocoa" offered by Casey Buonaugurio. I purchased this from another stitcher on 1-2-3! message board. I bought the Hand Dyed Fibers from Vicki Clayton and they are so pretty and vibrant. The fabric is an un-named evenweave which I purchased at C.C. & Company from the bargain bin with Miss Cathy's great help and actually I like it much better in color than in the above photo which is from the leaflet. My fabric has a little more brown to it and wow the silks look great. I stitched yesterday and all afternoon. I definately have sore muscles in my right arm which come from the stitching. But it has been a while since I really enjoyed stitching.

I have ordered more skeins of silk from HDF for an older Four Oaks design called Rhapsody in Blue which is shown on the leaflet in NPI silks. What I loved about it was it reminded me of an old postage stamp. I collected stamps when I was young and there is one very old US postage stamp which is quite rare and it reminded me of the color of that stamp.

I want to hit C.C. & Company on my next days off and pre order and pay for the new Just Cross Stitch ornament issue. I will get a coupon for 25% off a piece of fabric for doing that. I haven't been there in a while so it will be fun to see what is new. I haven't been up to the Old Mill in Liberty in a while either and I would like to take a drive up there, maybe eat in the tea room for lunch and enjoy a leisurely outing.

We had some thunderstorms rumble thru the Lilac Thicket this morning. I would say about 8 a.m. When I drove the streets on my way to work, the birds were hunting the roads for little pockets of water in the cracks of the pavement. I am so afraid I am going to hit one. We shall see how much rain we get today and see if it clears the humidity here in the wilds of my Thicket. Until we meet again, may all your stitching be peacefull!

A knitted finish!!

It has been a while since my last entry. My computer is fritzing here in the Lilac Thicket and I know I will have to get a new one some time soon but I have to take care of a couple of things and then I want to save up my money and hopefully by Christmas I will have the money to pay cash for a laptop and take advantage of awesome Christmas sales.

No stitching to speak of. I have a project put together to start. I also have many WIPS in the Thicket so today I want to sit down and stitch. I have been pawing thru my stash and WOW do I have some great stash. I will share later! Onto my pride and joy, for the moment.

The lining was machine sewn, the handles attached via sewing machine and then tacked into the knitted purse. A pen pocket, a key loop and a larger pocket were also attached to the inside lining.

This is the fabric for the lining. I wanted the dark green/black color so it would co-ordinate with purse and the beads. I love the summer tropical motif of the fabric.

A close up the beads which I strung and attached. Love them, they are just the right size.

And this is the finished product. One skein of Lana Grande, a chunky alpaca yarn. 60 stitches cast onto 15-16 circular needles and just keep knitting until the yarn is gone. Very simple and I am so pleased with my project. There are a couple of twisted stitches but the tension is very good for my first knitted project.

So there is a brief but truthful entry to the happenings at the Lilac Thicket. May your days be filled with sweet tea and daydreams and your nights be filled with fire flies and wonderful dreams.

Stash I had ordered

Stash I picked up on April 3rd at C.C. & Co.

Lizzie Kate: Boo! Club Brew/Monster, Ghost/Halloween & Pumpkin/Fright

Sue Hillis Designs: Stitcher's Days of Christmas & Tools of the Trade

Who Knew?: Ocean Whisper

Re-Stashing

It is raining here in the Lilac Thicket after several lovely days of sun and warm. The old saying comes to mind "April Showers Bring May Flowers". I definately want the lilacs to bloom because it makes my thicket smell like heaven.

I have been cleaning and reorganizing my craft room, starting with all my needlework stash. My ex-husband rearranged everything 3 years ago and I never did straighten it out where I could find my stuff. I have found many treasures that I had forgotten about. Case in point the bracelet kit shown above! I am thinking pretty little motifs stitched over one on 40 count would allow for a bigger motif and that would make charming little buttons to be glued on for a neat bracelet for myself. I also found great designs I had purchased and stashed away and most are much more desirable then anything on the market today. Most designs look alike anymore. Now I am not saying I won't buy more stash but when I have such a delightful array purchased long ago, WHY?!? Can you believe I found my fabric wheel cutter? I didn't even realize I had purchased one. I do think I have a hoarding disorder, stitching stuff, you know what I mean!

Well I have to tell you my mother e-mailed me photographs from a Lee's Summit Journal photographer she found somewhere on-line of the tea party she attended 4/15/09! What a photo puss she is, yes she was even in one of the photos!

I love bird watching and I found an Eagle Cam which is located at the Norfolk (Virginia) Botanical Garden. Yes good things do have their genesis in Norfolk (I was born there). If you love watching Bald Eagles raise their chickies go to: http://www.wvec.com/cams/eagle.html I watched Mommy bird rip apart a fish and feed her kids. We are so blessed to be able to witness this! Nature is amazing!!

Well gentle readers, have a wonder filled April day! I will here in the Lilac Thicket dreaming Lilac dreams!

I told her not to show up on the news!!!!!

The short lady in front on the left with the white ball cap on and the beige long sleeved jacket, I am glad you can not see her face. I told her I didn't want to see her on the 6 o'clock news, see the "9" logo on the bottom right, that is the logo for KMBC television channel and the woman who I point out, she is my mother. Thank the good Lord you can not see my Auntie to Mom's left and then my mother's best friend to her left. The event you ask? It is the Tea Party on the Lee's Summit City Hall steps. Why don't parents listen? My mother is now officially a right wing extremist, a nut job! My shame is hanging out just like the tea bags hanging off my Mom and Auntie's ball caps! Please be warned it can happen in ANY family! Hiding in my Lilac Thicket!

The Nutmeg Company

I was doing some "window" stash shopping and found this wonderful designs from the Nutmeg Company, an English company. I love these! They come as kits and would be so much fun to stitch. Of course only special people would appreciate receiving these but, wow, I really have missed something COOL!

I updated my Wish List blog with these cards, a neat Halloween Shadow Box from Prairie Moon and a Passion Ricamo Spring Princess! So here at the Lilac Thicket where life giving rain is falling, we shall be grocery shopping and window stash shopping today. Blessing to all.