A post to tide you over while I work on a retreat post.

Helloooooo?   Helloooooo?   Helloooooo?  Anybody out there? there?  there? there?  

Yeah, I know, long time no post.  No excuse other than laziness I suppose.  Well, that and I just didn't feel like editing all the pictures from retreat.  I wish either my camera skills were such that my pictures didn't require editing or that my camera automatically edited the pictures for me thus saving me the time and trouble of doing it. See it really all goes back to laziness! Hello, my name is Julie and I am a lazy bum.

I'm not finished with editing the  retreat pictures but the grumbling of certain people has finally irritated encouraged  me enough that I figgered I best post something on here in the meantime.

I can't believe it is already the middle (almost) of October.  I wish winter went by as fast as summer and fall seem to or maybe I wish summer and fall lasted as long as winter seems to. Either way, winter is just around the corner and I don't feel like it should be.  The shop is gearing up for the Christmas rush on framing, Dan and I are discussing the village open house and what changes need to be made.  I pulled him off the kitchen to get the birds that were ordered finished so I didn't have that guilt hanging over my head so once he finishes the birds he has to finish the kitchen or there won't be any open house this year.  The kids birthdays are all coming up starting with Amy's this Friday and the garage is still crammed full of stuff that needs to be gotten rid of so my car can fit in it before the cold hits.  I'm a little leery about icy sidewalks this year due to the continued pain in my ankle and foot.  Last thing I need is to slip and fall. I'm still in PT for both ankles and I am still struggling with pain.  I'm not able to stand or walk for very long so I am behind at work which stresses me out.  Our customers are used to a quick turn around and they aren't getting it.  So far everyone has been mostly understanding.  But I can see the writing on the wall the closer it gets to the holidays and the crap is gonna hit the fan then.  So lets put the brakes on and make October last for an extra 2 or maybe 3 weeks this year.  Everyone okay with that plan?

Been doing some stitching and working on birds.  My friend Connie loves everything Paris so I hunted and hunted for some Eiffel Tower paper to fill her request for a bird.  Took me a while but I finally found paper that I liked and was able to present her with her bird last week.  She'd been patiently waiting since March and thankfully she was thrilled with her bird.  I also made her a little matching needle minder to go with it.

I finally got around to stitching another of  Paulette's  Hare charts.  This time it was her Autumn Blessings Freebie.  Had to change the colors a bit (don't I always?) so the rabbits would show up on the gold fabric I chose.  Now to get it made into a pillow.

Double Dutch is coming along well.  I say that but I don't really mean it.  Seems as though I stitch and stitch and then stitch some more and still no progress is made.  I know progress is being made, it just doesn't feel that way and I am chomping at the bit to start something else!!  Sucks that I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't start another large project until I have finished it.  I did sneak in the rabbits though which helped and I am working on Bent Creeks Noel Row off and on which also helps and Elizabeth on the weekends but mostly it's been Double Dutch so I can get the dang thing finished!!!!! Anyway, here's an update for you.

The family is all doing well.  Adam has put in for a job back here in Omaha.  No offense to all of you in the DC area but it's just not his cup of tea.  It'll be a while before we know whether he gets it or not.  The bad part is he has met a nice young lady while out there and he feels bad about leaving.  She however, was born and raised in DC and has no wish to see what Omaha is like.  Abby is still working PRN at the hospital and going to UNO to finish her bachelors degree.  Her blond hair is now a dark auburn and last Saturday she added clip in hair extensions.  Add in a spray tan and when she walked into the shop I didn't recognize her at first!  She is celebrating one year of dating her boyfriend this month and announced that she thinks it's time for me to get to know him better.  Uh-oh.  Amy is doing well at UNL.  She's officially changed her major to pre-med.  She wants to be a shrink.  I'm a bit uncomfortable with that idea as I know that every word out of my mouth will now be analyzed.  I know I'm messed up but I don't need my daughter telling me so!  Fall break starts this weekend and  Amy is flying to Seattle to visit a friend up there. She's a bit nervous about it.  She has never flown by herself before and the last time she flew, she threw up all the way home from DC.  Hopefully this will be a better trip.  Dan is busy working on birds and all the other stuff I can't do yet like grocery shopping, yard work, and quite often the cooking and dishes.  He's been a real trooper and I don't know what I would have done without him!

Think that's about all I have for now.  Hopefully I will finish up the editing and be able to post about retreat this weekend.  I have both days off so barring any unforeseen activities we should be a go!

Oh, and Carole, if you read this you should definitely duck and run!  LOL!!!  Doreen, consider yourself head slapped!!  Remember I know where you two live.  Just saying...

Take care till next time!

Julie

Fall Retreat

Just a quickie to say have a great weekend everyone!  I'm headed to P.T. and then leaving for our Fall No Frills Retreat!  I really need a weekend of good friends and fun times to take my mind off of other things.  I'll fill ya in on all the fun when I get back Sunday!

Take care till next time!

Julie

ER visit, the invasion, Elizabeth and more

Good Morning!

I hope everyone had a great weekend full of lots of stitchy stuff!  We had an exciting weekend here and not in the good way.  For some reason I thought that once the kids were of a certain age...they would be responsible and mature enough that I would no longer have to worry about middle of the night trips to the ER.  Asthma has been a part of our lives almost as long as the kids have been a part of our lives.  So I thought that at some point they would be intelligent enough to avoid those situations that they know will lead to trouble.  Or at the very least, figure out the early warning signs that they are headed for trouble and get the hell outta dodge.  I now know I was completely delusional.  Last year at Christmas we had almost the exact same scenario.  Abby went someplace she knows is going to cause her problems (boxer dogs and her don't mix) and ended up in the ER.  Fast forward to this weekend and she is back at the same place and guess what??  She landed herself and her father in the ER during the wee hours of Sunday morning.  Not only that but she drove herself home in the middle of this major asthma attack rather than having the boyfriend bring her home or take her to the ER.  Then she woke me up to ask if I thought she should even go!!  Yes Abby, your lips are blue and you have no air with which to breathe...might be a good idea to go see a Doctor!   3 hours later, having received oxygen, nebulizer treatments x3 and IV steroids and they finally let her come home.  She is still not breathing well and I am hoping she will take herself off to the Dr. like she is supposed to do but apparently, common sense is not her forte.  Someone please tell me she'll wise up at some point??

We had fog here last night and this morning when I let the dogs outside I just about lost it.  EVERY spider web was highlighted by moisture and clearly visible to the naked eye!  They are everywhere!  Every surface, tree, play set, blade of grass is covered by webs.  We've been invaded and we don't even know it until a little fog happens!  How would you like to be the little kid swinging on this swing?

Did some stitching on Elizabeth this weekend.  She's coming along nicely but since I am sticking to my weekends only vow, not as nicely as I would like her to.

I haven't shown you the Double Dutch stitch along for a while now.  That's cuz none of us have really been working hard on it.  Well, maybe Mary Ann has but Mary and I...not so much.  But I really want to finish it so I have put down Tuscan Rose for the moment and am working on DD during the week.  Here's mine as of Friday night.

Sorry no pics of Mary's or Mary Ann's.  I'll do better next time!

The drywaller has started the patching of the wall at the shop.  He should finish up tomorrow and then we'll start the paining process.  I took pictures of the shop as promised but you have to remember, it still looks empty since we didn't want to bring in the new display pieces and spread things out too much until the wall was fixed.  Just that much more to get dirty and to move around.  So far everyone that has come in has said it already looks 100 times better.  Not quite sure how to take that.  Must have really looked like crap before!!

I'm running out of time before I have to leave for Physical Therapy so I am going to call it good for now.  Have a great week everyone! And thanks for all the comments!

Take care till next time!

Julie

Stalkers, Elizabeth and Vacuums

Do you ever have the feeling that something or someone is watching you?    Maybe you get that prickly feeling up your spine or you have a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach.  I have been dealing with this feeling for over a week now.  The reason for this feeling?  I'm being stalked!  I can't tell you how scary it is to know that I'm being watched.  By multiple pairs of eyes too.  I discovered one of the stalkers last week.  I was in my bathroom, sitting on the toilet of all places, taking care of business when suddenly I knew I was being watched.  I went down the checklist of possible reasons for the feeling.  Curtains open?  No.  Dog snuck in?  No.  Husband standing  there?  No. The bathroom is not that large so it didn't take me long to eliminate the most likely suspects.  That left unlikely or less noticeable suspects.  As I was sitting there I checked up on the ceiling and in the vent.  Didn't see anything that shouldn't be there or any sign of a hidden camera.  That was a relief.  Nobody needs to see video of me  taken with a hidden camera.  Or a not hidden camera for that matter!  But I could still feel eyes on me so I continued looking around.  Suddenly, my heart stopped dead in my chest.  I'd found the cause of my unease.  Across the way from the toilet stands the shower.  And clinging to the base of the shower was a large.black.spider!!!!  I think I might have mentioned once or twice that I don't like spiders.  At.All.  So I'm sitting there staring at the spider to make sure it doesn't move and he's staring back at me with all his many eyes just waiting to pounce when the time was right, most likely when my back was turned.  But that wasn't going to happen.  Now here's the dilemma.  I was still on crutches at the time and I knew there was no way on earth I was going to be able to crutch my way over there and kill the sucker before it skittered away and hid itself until the time was right to crawl up my nose or into my ear during the night.  No freaking way was that going to happen!  I knew Dan was downstairs asleep on the couch with the T.V on.  What were the chances of calling loudly enough to wake him up but not so loud that the vibrations would startle the creature into fleeing?  I could pound on the floor which happens to be right above the family room where Dan was busy sawing logs instead of protecting me from hairy arachnids but I was pretty sure that would startle him (the spider) into moving.  While I was thinking these thoughts, he and I were maintaining eye to eyes contact and I could almost hear his hissy little voice saying...I'll get you my pretty!  Deciding that yelling was going to be less likely to disturb spidey, I proceeded to do just that.  DAN!!!   DAN!!!  Then I waited, cuz Dan only has two speeds and they consist of slow and slower.  Being that he was asleep I knew he'd be moving slower.  I also knew if he heard me he would recognize the distinct tone of my voice that indicates the presence of an eight legged critter and he would come prepared to do battle.  So while I waited spidey and I continued our stare down.  By now I had one eye squinted to show him I wasn't scared because you never want to show them weakness or they'll pounce then and there!  But although I gave Dan plenty of time to slowly make his way upstairs...he didn't come.  So now I was left with 2 choices.  Sit on the toilet until Dan woke up on his own (usually around 2-3 in the morning)  and came up to bed or take the risk of pounding on the floor loudly and hoping it woke him up.  I pondered for quite a while, even called a couple more times but eventually I knew I was going to have to risk the pounding.  Taking a deep breath I grabbed my crutches and as hard as I could I hit the floor 3 times with them, all the while maintaining my squinty eyed stare.  Sure enough Spidey moved!  But I think he thought that the pounding wouldn't produce Dan any better than yelling did because after one hop he went back to staring at me.  I could hear Dan coming up the stairs and finally the bedroom door opened, followed by the bathroom door and Dan who said, how big is it?  See?  I told you he can recognize the panicked sound a spider causes even when it's a pound and not a call.  I pointed at the critter with a shaking finger and said...it's huge!!  KILL IT!!  Which he promptly did.  Boy was that a relief.  I thought my butt was going to be permanently attached to the toilet seat by this time!  So you are probably thinking boy is she a wussy and you would be correct.  I admit it openly.  You are also probably thinking, it's one spider, you can't be stalked by one spider!  HA!  Where there is one...there is always another!  The next night I went upstairs to bed and thoroughly checked the bathroom before taking care of business.  Crutching my way to the bed, I suddenly felt that feeling again.  I checked the ceiling and walls several times and threw back the covers to make sure nothing was lurking under them before finally deciding perhaps it was a hold over from the night before.  I sat down on the bed, removed das boot and swung my legs up onto the bed while laying back on my pillow.  My head no more than brushed the pillow when I spotted it!  Right above my head on the ceiling, hiding in the shadow of the texture!!  I bounced up off that bed and threw myself into the chair while yelling loudly for Dan.  He arrived quickly, paper towel in hand and asked. "where is it?"  I pointed to the ceiling, grabbed my pillow and threw the covers out of the way in case he missed and spidey jumped.  But the great white spider hunter was successful once again and he smashed that thing dead.  Now you would think that maybe word would go out in the spider kingdom that this is not a spider friendly environment and they would leave for better pickings.  But no.  The next day I made my way downstairs after showering (only after a thorough inspection of the bathroom) and sat down at the computer to begin my morning ritual.  And then I felt it.  That eerie sensation of being watched.  I slowly looked around the room, all the while hoping I was wrong because I was home alone and knew that if I saw spidey, I would have to find a way to take him out by myself.  Not something I like to do but unlike a certain daughter of mine who shall remain nameless...Amy...I won't leave it there and go to another room thereby giving said spider permission to stalk someone else at their leisure.  No, I kill the suckers even though I am risking an attack on my person while doing so.  Lucky for me, someone had used the swiffer the day before and instead of putting it away it was leaning up against the china hutch.  Swiffers work pretty good for killing things that are up high.  It allows you to be somewhat away from the wall so if you should happen to miss it doesn't fall on your head causing a sometimes fatal  heart attack.  My swiffer did not let  me down.  Yelling DIE Spidey DIE,  I obliterated the thing all over my suede painted wall!  But I didn't care.  All I cared about was that the sucker was dead.  Dan could deal with the debris later.  So you see now why I feel as though I am being stalked.  Almost every day another one appears to take the place of his fallen brother.  My paranoia is at a peak, my eyes are constantly roaming around the room looking for the next one to appear.  But I'm not going down without a fight.  Do you hear that spiders??  Get out while the getting is good or I'll take you out  or have Dan do it for me!!

Here's an update on Elizabeth.  I'm only allowing myself to work on her on the weekends.  I asked several people when the weekend started and ended last weekend and it was decided that Monday being a holiday meant it was a  part of the weekend so I got 3 days of stitching done on her.

And finally, a shot of the shop sans vacuums!!!  He is completely out of the shop now and we couldn't be happier.  First thing we are going to do is add a little color on the walls.  First they have to be repaired since Dude had slatwall the entire length of the wall.  Looks like it was shot up in a gun fight and the wall lost!  But we've spent the last couple days rearranging and it looks much better already.  I'll take a picture tomorrow and share it later.  Still have a long long way to go before I am happy with how things look but for now it's a huge improvement over vacuums, belts and bags.

Take care till next time!!

Julie

Hallelujah!!

Good Morning!

I am just popping in for a few minutes to say THANKS for the prayers...I think they worked!!  To give you a little background, almost 2 years ago, in order for the shop I work at to survive we entered into an agreement to share a bay with the devil vacuum cleaner dude in the bay next to us.  This would have worked fine if he had stuck around to run his own side of the store but after 3 months, his help at his other store quit and he went over there and never came back.  We have run his store ever since and have received nothing for doing so.  Dude's business has steadily dropped since he quit being there, who wants to buy a vacuum from a custom picture framer?  We had no training for the job so were not very helpful if people asked questions or needed something that required a bit of knowledge.  We were under the impression he would be moving out at the end of the lease since that is what he had been telling us was going to happen.   When I asked for prayers it was because he had told us he had sold his business and the new owner did not wish to move so we would have to.  Dude held the actual lease and we sub-let from him so we did not have any legal standing with the landlord.  His hands were tied.  Our current location has been so good for us that moving elsewhere made no sense.  The bosses looked at another, much larger bay 2 doors down and in spite of it being more money, decided to lease it.  Only someone else got there before us.  Long story short after several weeks of stress, ups and downs, thinking things were going to work out and then having a wrench thrown in the mix,  my boss and dude reached an agreement and he is moving out.  In fact, he should be out after this weekend.  The majority  is already packed up!  However, I won't feel completely comfortable and at ease until November when the original lease expires and the bosses have signed a new one.  So if you think about it over the next couple of months send up a quick prayer that all goes well.  It's going to be a great thing for the shop to have the vacuums out of there and we can't wait to paint and make it all purty!  It was hard to do anything with 50 vacuums all over the place!  Not to mention bags, and belts of every shape and size known to man!   It's going to be a ton of work getting it all fixed up but I'm so excited about the possibilities ahead of us!!

What are your plans for this holiday weekend?  I was going to clean my house some but Dan has grounded me to the chair.  I had to go to the Dr. this week because I started experiencing pain in my left Achilles tendon.  That's right, the supposedly good ankle! It was a very familiar pain.  Diagnosis:  Achilles Tendonitis and Plantar Fasciitis most likely caused from wearing that dang boot.

So I am now having physical therapy on both feet/ankles and they will re-evaluate when I go back in 3 weeks.  Not much they can do for the left one without messing up the right one.  So I guess the 3 inches of dust are going to have to stay right where they are for now and as for me....I'll be in my chair stitching on Elizabeth while watching HGTV.  Things could be worse!

Take care till next time!

Julie

OOPS! I did it again

You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you see a new chart and know you must have it??OMG!  When I saw the new Miribilia I had that feeling and I just couldn't ignore it!  I haven't stitched one in years but for some reason Elizabeth was screaming, take me home the second I laid eyes on her!  She goes no where in my house but I will find someplace for her to live even if I have to put her in Amy's room which now that I think about it the colors are perfect for her room.  Hmmmm, of course Amy would probably kill me if I did that but hey, she's off at college, says she isn't coming home until the kitchen is finished and since that will never be completely done...I'm just saying.  Anyway, even though I had promised myself I would not start anything else until either Tuscan Rose or Double Dutch was finished I just couldn't wait.  I had to start her.  I chose a 32 count linen by Picture this Plus called Heroic and I am using the called for threads which are DMC.

And here is an update on Tuscan Rose.

I've been in a slump the last week or so due to that problem I alluded to in my last post, so not much progress has been made.  The problem is still ongoing for now (been something of a roller coaster)  so please continue to pray it all works out.

This past weekend, Dan and I worked on the hutch in my kitchen.  Here's a before shot of what it has looked like in the past.

And here it is now.

I still have some tweaking I want to do but for now I think it looks okay.

The market charts are starting to filter in now.  I was very sad we were unable to attend this time due to my surgery but am hoping we'll be going to Nashville in February.  Do you all have any that you are excited to see?  I don't think I will top my Miribilia but ya never know.  The new BBD's are awesome!  The Christmas Quaker from ByGone Stitches is gorgeous.  Barnwood Buttons from Rosewood Manor is adorable but the cost for the buttons is out of this world!  I will be finding my own buttons thank you very much!

I just ran across this Love a Local Business campaign and was wondering if any of you would like to vote for the shop I work at?  You have to say a few reasons why you like us which since most of you have never been there might be a bit of a stretch but if you could see your way clear to do it, we could possibly win some grant money which would be very helpful in growing the business more.  If you don't wish to vote that is fine, I completely understand!  But if you do just follow this link.

http://lovealocalbusiness.intuit.com/fan

type in Reflections and Papillion NE  Then follow the directions.  Thanks for helping!


Finally I want to thank everyone for their prayers and for all the wonderful comments on my stitching and the kitchen.  I so appreciate them!  


Take care till next time!


Julie

A little bit of everything!

Miss me?  I wanted to give you all plenty of time to do so.  Did it work?  Actually, the truth of the matter is more like a combination of laziness and being tired after going back to work.  One legged framing is not as easy as it sounds!  By the time I get home in the afternoon or evening as the case may be, I am exhausted.  Most nights I find myself sitting in my chair fighting to keep my eyes open while praying I don't become a head bobber like Dan.  What's a head bobber you ask?  You know, when they (the sleeping person aka Dan) are sitting upright and they've fallen asleep and their mouth is open and their head is bobbing forward and then they jerk it back and it then it bobs backwards and then forwards again...head bobbing.  Kinda reminds me of those birds that were around when I was a kid.  They looked like this:

The bird would bob forward and get a drink and then snap back upright only to slowly bob forward again.   I do not want to look like that. EVER.  Anyway, to get back to the subject at hand, the last thing I have been thinking about is trying to string a few sentences together to make a semi-coherent blog post.  I knew it just wasn't going to happen.  Happily, I am starting to have a bit more energy so tonight I thought I would give it a shot.

I got my pretty pink cast off a week and 2 days ago.  At that time I was given a beautiful compression stocking and an even lovelier black walking boot to compliment my wonderful silver crutches.  I'm pretty sure I've started a new fashion trend.  Soon everyone will be copying me and you all can say, Hey!  I was there at the beginning when Julie was just starting out.  You can be like...famous!!!  Aren't you just the luckiest followers in the world??  Kidding!

I was given  instructions by the doctor that I could now put 25% of my weight on my right leg. Ummm okay...how am I supposed to know how much 25% is?   I guess first I would have to know how much I weigh and since that is a number I do not ever want to know I decided to just wing it.   After a week and 2 days I'm to the point where I can take a few steps without the crutches.  Despite my recent fashion setting fame I have to admit that I can't wait to get rid of my lovely silver friends.  It is so hard to do anything with your hands full of crutches! I get to start Physical Therapy next week and I get to go 3 times/week for 6 weeks.  Awesome!!  Now to figure out how to get there and to work.  Amy goes back to school this Friday and after that I am to all intents and purposes....stranded!!  Hopefully I will be able to shed Das Boot by the end of the month and driving will be added back to my list of things I can do.

The kitchen project has slowed down considerably.  But the back splash is now done, under cabinet lighting is installed and the shelves at the end of the one run of cabinets are finished.    So now the kitchen looks something like this:

Still lots of little details to finish though.  Dan plopped my little blue beehive measuring cups on the one shelf but they look a bit silly don't they?  I can't wait until I can get out and find some cute accessories.

Last Saturday was our second Saturday stitch at the shop.  Had a great time chatting with everyone.  Usually I am busy helping but since I was unable to be on my feet I actually got to sit and stitch and visit.  It was nice for a change!  

I remembered to take my camera with me so I can share some WIP's and finishes  with you.  I'll start with an update on the Double Dutch stitch-a-long.

Mary's

MaryAnn's

Mine

Here's a sweet finish by one of  my bestie's Connie.  A simple rather plain design got some pizazz with the addition of some pink gingham fabric!  Too stinking cute!!

Lately, we seem to be on a gingham kick here at the shop.  I fell in love with the first part of  BBD's new Loose Feathers chart but I don't like to start something unless I know exactly what it will look like first, which would mean waiting for the rest of it to be released.   Being the impatient person that I am, I made the choice to stitch it as a stand alone piece and from the moment I saw it I could envision it on gingham.  So I went with it.  Do you like it?   I've chosen a great moulding to frame it with and will share when I get it done.

I have now been sitting here for 3.5 hours.  Where did all that time go?  I think I will call it a day, take my boot off, do my exercises and probably fall asleep in the recliner!

I want to thank all of you for stopping in, leaving all the wonderful comments and for hanging in there when I disappear for a while.  Finally, there are some things going on in my life right now that I can't talk about but if you could spare a prayer for things to work out I would appreciate it greatly.  I'll share when I know more.

Take care till next time!

Julie