Finished and Framed!

Just a quick "brag" post.... My Exodus project AND my Blue Sampler are finally finished, framed and are hanging on the walls! Yesss!

Blue Sampler

Remember this one? It took us about a year, but it was worth the wait. We picked the frame up at the local thrift store, and the mat at the craft shop. Joe, my DH, primed and painted the frame and cut the mat. Now it is hanging in the Craft corner, and I keep wanting to take more pictures. Somebody stop me! 

Exodus

Joe also framed my Exodus - thank you! He said it was easy to frame - the size and the frame were standard, and the mat was all ready, as if just waiting for it...

On the reading front, I have not picked up a book in a while (shame on me!), but this month is the 20th anniversary of "Dead Man Walking" by Sister Helen Prejean. I have read the book about two years ago and really wanted to write a short review, but now I think I need to re-read it again before I write anything. So - on to reading and stitching I go! Thank you for visiting my blog and reading my random ramblings. :) 

A Life, Stitching and Zombie Update

Has it been two months already? Oh my, time flies when you're having... hmm... actually, time flies no matter what you are having. Right now, for example, I am having trouble forming a sentence, and time's still doing what it does.
As always, the past two months have been filled with excitement. My husband hurt his back in April. He could not go to work and spent over a month on disability.. only the disability refused to pay, because he had  to visit a free clinic (apparently, the paperwork was not signed by the "physician" but instead by the "physician's assistant." That makes a big difference for the state disability). Then, there was an interesting episode of  "Creditors Attack!" - that was when all my bank accounts were seized by a creditor and ALL the funds were confiscated - in lieu of the payment. That felt a lot like being ransacked by pirates.
Yet, some very good changes happened, too. My husband got well and got a new job, a much better - and better paying - job... Bills are getting paid... Family is taken care of... He even got me a present - a new camera! My first question right after "thank you" was, "Can we afford it?" It appears we can... Life is - dare I say it? - improving, getting stable. I am still being very cautious, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, you know.Watching the bills, turning off the lights, saving leftover ground coffee in a jar in case we  are "out" one morning... But I can feel it, life improving!
My daughter Rita graduated Elementary school this year. Next year, it's Junior High for her. Vera, my youngest, is right behind her. Yesterday they went to visit family for the summer. I miss them, but I will enjoy the quiet, not to mention more free time...What to do, what to do? I know - stitching!
In the stitching department, I have done a few things. First, I had a surge of Christmas mood, so I stitched some ornaments. I am still thinking of how to finish them better, ribbons and backing materials and such, but the stitching is all finished....

Fist Day - Partridge and a Pear Tree.

Also feels like "When I shall be King,  you shall be Queen."

Day Two - Christmas Cottage

The original called for darker fabric, but I did not like the "gingerbread cookie" look of it, so I changed the color of the snow - from white to light blue - instead.  

Day Three - Peace on Earth

This one was the most time-consuming to stitch, because of the border. When you first look at it, the design is not that complicated, but it's all these flowered border blocks that take up your time... and patience. 

In addition, I poked a hole in my finger when stitching this one, so maybe I am just holding a grudge. :)

Day Four - Snowman

He was supposed to hold a present charm, but I did not like the idea. Where did you see a snowman giving out presents? Then, my
husband saw it and immediately said : "What he needs now is a snowflake!"
I looked through my stash and - voila! - here is a snowflake, not too big, not too small... Just right, like in the Goldilocks story.

At first, I had plans to make twelve ornaments (you know, one for each twelve days of Christmas), but now I think I bit off a little more than I could chew. Besides, stitching these is half the deal; the other half is finishing them - finding the right ribbons, cloth etc... Right now I am in the process of scouting craft and thrift shops in search for ribbons and cloth and felt...  So this process is only half way done. When these are finished, I will show them off with pride - here on my blog. :)

Finally, for the past couple of weeks I have been working on another stitching project. Those who read my Facebook updates know what it is.....

"Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness" - Little House Needleworks.
Stitched on Linen with DMC floss. 

 I have been working on it for about two weeks, and the day before yesterday it was finished. The whole time I was stitching, I was also thinking about something my friend said - in passing - about the distant past: "Life was easier back then." Easier? I disagree. Simpler, maybe - there was less noise, horses instead of cars, letters instead of email. But the "stuff" of life - the choices we have to make - are never easy, and never have been. Past is easier for us because we already know the outcomes; it was hard for the people that lived through it, just like our times may be challenging for us. Yet, I would not be surprised if forty-something years from now, when I am old and moldy, one of my grand kids said, "Grandma, life was easier for you than it is for me. They did not have flying cars back then!"

In conclusion - I almost forgot - zombies! Lately I have been playing a lot of video games... My favorite so far is "Zombies Ruined my Day" - an indie game where you get to kill cartoon-like zombies. Killing zombies is most therapeutic, especially when I imagine that they are creditors. :)