Feminine and Flirty and Fabulous!

Stitching pics later but first.....

If I  were to have another wedding, this is what I'd wear.  A vintage, embroidered wedding dress with pink sash and flowers.  I saw this at a boutique/antique shoppe today and it nearly brought me to tears it was so beautiful!

I love it.  

It's pretty.

It's Feminine.

It's delicate and Flirty

and totally Fabulous!!!

I really wanted to buy it.  

I didn't.  But, I wanted to.  

Here are a few more shots of this beauty:

Bustled in the back, ready to dance with Prince Charming:

 Look at the delicate neckline and the pretty, covered buttons.

 More pink flowers on the train.... I'm still weak in the knees....

I'm in love.....

This would be a totally impractical purchase but I hated to leave such a thing of beauty in the store.   

It was under $200.

I should have sprung for it.

I wonder if they'd come down?

I should have asked.

Where would I put it?

Impractical.....  I must keep reminding myself.....  Impractical.

But, oh, so beautiful!!!

If you buy it, don't tell me.

While we were in the store, I met the nicest man named Marvin.  He and I were yucking it up a little bit and he tried this cool top hat on and I asked him if I could take his picture.  

Isn't he cute?  

Remember, if you're not having fun, it's nobody's fault but your own.

Marvin was having some fun and so was I.

The other vintage clothing item I found intriguing was this nightie.  

I can't say it did anything for me (the color was YUCK) but it's the first one I've ever seen with a mink neckline.  

Doesn't everyone need a little fur around their neck at night?  

These goodies were all at a store called Vera Grace Emporium in Marine City, MI.

We hit another fun shop today too and the proprietors, Janice and Robert were there today so we got to chat with them.  I met them a couple of years ago at another antique mall in Marine City and now they own their own place called 

Back Porch Antiques.  It's a really cute store, also in Marine City and they are super nice people!

Pay them a visit if you're in the area (tell 'em I sent you)!

Here are a few snaps from inside their shoppe:

Finally..... some stitching.

Here is my progress so far on Marianne Wenn.  I am really enjoying working on it now that I've fixed my mistake.  

Because I had to frog so much, I commemorated it with a poem (sort of):

I frogged the border on the left.

I frogged the border on the right.

I fudged it at the top and then I called it a night!

The blue is photographing really royal but it's a bit more navy than that IRL.

I will be stitching Isabella Johnstone along with YUKO but I had to order some fabric, first.  It came today and I just love it.  I asked JAN at Only One Ewe Needlework's to pick something for me in 35 count.  She sent WDW linen in "Linen".  Now I just have to email Yuko and let her know I'm ready to go.

Here is my fabric and floss along with the little project card I made:

 Don't worry - the linen is on a piece of cloth, not directly on the patio.

Oh, yeah!

I got the super cute Singer Sewing Machine at Janice's shop today.  

Thanks, Janice and Robert!

I hope you're all having a great weekend.  It's windy and cold here but at least the sun is shining, so I won't complain.

Thank you so very much for stopping by and for leaving a comment, when you can.  I am doing well and thank you all for your care and concern.  

My lifestyle is going to have to change a bit (running, according to my doc) is out of the question.  He didn't say I couldn't jog at a reasonable pace, though.... did he???

So... not sure yet about the Monument Ave Run in Richmond in April but I will definitely be there to cheer on my dad, even if I'm not running.

I'm alive.   

Life is good.

I wish you,

Peace!

Terri

  

Scotties and Screw Ups and Pretty Pockets!

Hello, dear friends!

Last Saturday, the Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild had a slumber party.  It was hosted by Lynn at her beautiful home and we had a blast.  Now, I know what you're thinking.  Really?  A bunch of women sitting around in their pj's stitching - whoa, yeah, FUN!!!  But it was.  It really was.  Lynn's house is beautiful and she has the most amazing collections scattered throughout.  We dubbed it the Victorian Secrets Sleepover - not that our pj's necessarily looked victorian rather than Victoria's but lets just say, 

I won't be showing you pictures of us in our nighties! 

Sharon, our guild president thought it appropriate that we do a little project to commemorate the event.  

Lynn has two darling Scottie dogs so Sharon created this project for us:

But wait!  These aren't just cute little Scottie's.....  Look:

They're tape measures!  As you can see, Julie and I forgot to add the tongue - and our stitching around them is all slightly different.  Sharon has an eye on hers but I wanted to add a bead for an eye, but have yet to do it so mine can't see yet.  The tape measure rolls back up using a little stick with the wooden beads on it that is hidden in the scottie.  Is this the cutest thing ever????   The tape measure is made out of silk ribbon that we marked ourselves.  This is also a pinkeep as you can see on Sharon's dog's blanket but Julie and I didn't bring pretty pins with us so we'll have to add those.  

If you would like one of these little kits, send Sharon an email.   

You can reach her at:  justabcsampler@yahoo.com  

She'll have to tell you the cost - I have no idea as it was a gift to those at the sleepover!  

Thank you, Sharon!  

I just love my little Scottie dog!

I was feeling pretty good about myself - having gotten a good start on Marianne Wenn.  But what do you get for having foolish pride?  

You get smacked right upside the head, that's what.  

Pretty early on I discovered that I had an error, or thought I did but I couldn't find it but did I stop stitching - NO!  I kept on going until I finished that last blue row of hearts and the extra stitch that is now really bugging me.  I have been looking for the error, counting the black border row over and over again figuring that had to be where it was but couldn't find it.  DEB found it in about 2 seconds just by looking at a photo I sent her and now, I have to decide whether to frog (a lot) or just keep compensating for my error.  The S on the first row is one stitch over to the right which means the border is one stitch over to the right which means everything is off.  But..... Deb just suggested a possible correction which should work.   At least I didn't bring the border in too close which means I do have room.  I think I'm going to go with Deb's suggestion to start the next row in the exact center and then work off that row from now on.  

Brilliant!

Anyway.... I do like the way it's looking!  I have already had to amend some of my colors.  The brown for the dog and the gold were changed.  I can't remember right now what I changed them to but if you're at all interested, I can post them again later.

Thank you all so much for your well wishes after my last post.  I am doing fine - I see the cardiologist at the end of the week and hope to get back to the treadmill right after that.  I'd much prefer running outside but it's just a bit too chilly and icy and I'm a clutz (as you all know).  For now, the treadmill is the best I can do!

Oooooh, do you want to spend some money????

I can help.

After seeing a lovely stitchers wallet on Margaret's blog, I paid Natalia a cyber visit and I picked up one as well.  Isn't this pretty?  I just love the fabric!!!  

So pretty in pink!

I love the colors and it's beautifully made.  It is now the keeper of that pesky Marriane Wenn Sampler.

Thank you, Natalia!  I love it!

Welcome to all my new followers!  I so appreciate you stopping by and then choosing to become a follower - I consider it a great compliment!  Your comments are appreciated more than you know and now, thanks to some help from MYRA I can actually respond back to you!  Yeah!!  Thank you so much for your help, Myra!

Please come back again soon!

Peace,

Terri

News and Farm Finishes

Good morning, dear friends!

    Did you know that tomorrow is Wear Red to Work day?  It is a campaign by the American Heart Association to encourage awareness of heart disease in women.  When I've remembered, I have worn red in the past but tomorrow - I will for sure!  

I got home from the hospital yesterday after undergoing a heart catheterization with stint placement.  

Are you surprised?  

I am 51 years old (remember, I am the older woman) and my family has a devastating family history of heart disease.  My mom's brother died before the age of 50, her mom died at about 50, my dad has had quadruple bi-pass followed by stints, he had a brother die too young and just this past September, my 49 year old (at the time) sister had 6, count 'em, SIX bi-passes (a record for her hospital in Florida). 

My overall cholesterol numbers aren't bad but my bad cholesterol is not so good.  When my doc heard about my sister, he ordered a CT scan for me and it found that I had two blockages, one between 25 and 50% and one between 50 and 70%.  

He told me to quit running (for now).

Then he told me we needed to do a heart cath to determine just how bad the most severe blockage was.    Well, the first one was at 50% but they didn't stint it and the second was at 70% so they did stint that one.  

I went in for the procedure on Tuesday and got home last night. 

I am feeling fine and expect to be back to work tomorrow.

I'll be wearing RED!

I don't generally look like someone that would have heart disease, I don't think.  But I do.  From the outside, I look pretty healthy but I guess what you see isn't always what you get, is it?

The good thing about getting to be in the hospital overnight and having such a great family and friends is that you get things like this:

This from my family with the note written by Matt:

And this from my office!

And this from my best girl friends.  Yum!

Thank you all so very much!  

I love the flowers and the fruit was SO good (it's all gone, by the way)!

The other good thing about being in the hospital is that I finished 

The Farm Scene Sampler.

Handwork Samplers

The Farm Scene Sampler (Terri's version)

stitched on 32 count Vintage Light Exemplar

WDW and GAST fibers

(BTW, pics are once again clickable - I figured it out!)

The pattern for this was reproduced as it was found, I suppose, but I just didn't care for the fact that it was so obviously unfinished.  

Here's the pic from the pattern for comparison purposes:

So, the areas that were not complete, I finished.  

In addition to that I added a favorite verse from the Bible: Ecclesiastes 3:1 at the bottom, over one in a full cross.

 I didn't chart the verse but I think it was meant to be because as you can see above, it fit perfectly.  

Almost.  

I added a berry to the right side to complete the line.

 The farm scene at the bottom is stitched over one with a full cross except for the fields and fence which I did in tent stitch.

I love how it turned out.

Now, I can start work on Marianne!  Yeah!!!

And....

I'll be wearing RED to work tomorrow.

Peace,

Terri