Hooray! My prayers have been answered!

My search has ended.  After updating and polishing my resume numerous times, putting on the business suits and going to countless job fairs, applying everywhere and being on every job search website.... I am finally among the employed again! Even though I had worked at Home Depot for 3 years, it has been 5 years since I quit my part time job there due to the overtime requirements at my full time job. Applying on line, a telephone interview, 2 follow up interviews and numerous phone calls back and forth, a background check and drug screening, and lots of paperwork ~ all paid off!

I am working at Home Depot again!!! The pay rate is less than when I left there 5 years ago, but I can't complain. I'm happy to be back in the HD family again. Many of the associates I worked with are still there, and it's a FANTASTIC place to work. I look forward to committing myself to the HD programs (community service projects, do-it-herself workshops) that make Home Depot more than just another big box home improvement store.  I think they're almost as happy to have me back as I am to be there!

Just in time for Spring, I get to experience rebirth and renewal. It has been a long time coming. I think I've been adrift since David was lost at sea in 2009, just trying to keep my head above the waves. Job ended, relationships ended, and friendships lost... I tumbled along. Thank you, God, for not forsaking me.

the tooth fairy conundrum

With Leland turning 6, I knew our Tooth Fairy days would soon be upon us. I've been searching for the perfect poem to stitch into a tooth fairy pillow. I thought I would create a small pillow square with a pocket for the tooth and money exchange, and stitch the poem on it. I didn't really like any of the poems I found on line, so I just kept looking. I also couldn't decide whether to make just 1 tooth fairy pillow for all the grandbabies to share, or to make 1 for the boys and 1 for the girls... or should I make one for each of the kids, and put their names on them?

I just stumbled across the perfect solution! This is so wonderful, I know I'll have to make one for each of the grandbabies, using their favorite colors and characters. Hopefully, they'll even have these to use with their own children some day. This blog is full of great craft ideas and free patterns. The tooth fairy pillow is perfect, the pdf directions are easy to follow, and there are photos for both boys and girls TF pillows.

Tell me about your Tooth Fairy traditions!

http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/2009/02/tooth-pillow-revisited.html

Have you seen this giveaway?

Here's another wonderful giveaway to check out. The Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is sharing a HUGE collection of goodies. When you check out the blog, also look for the cluny lace ric rac. Whenever I hear the words "ric rac", I think of the cheap manufacted stuff that was so overused in the '60s. Forget about that stuff!  Cluny lace ric rac is gorgeous ~ simply gorgeous. Words can't describe just how intricately detailed this really is. Don't believe me. Check it out for yourself!

If you're not into ric rac, you'll find lots of other treasures in this treasure chest:

http://victorianmottosamplershoppe.blogspot.com/2012/02/lets-do-it-again-with-another-grand.html?showComment=1329554966017#c8434547906543172999

Leland's alphabet

This happy little man is my oldest grandson, Leland. For his 6th birthday I stitched an alphabet with his name across the bottom. I added a stylish heart on the right and 2 glow in the dark stars on the upper left. I left it unframed so he can use it at his desk while he does his homework. I finished it with quilt padding and a cotton backing, trimmed in seam binding.

Now I want to stitch his name in large letters (with characters) to go on his bedroom wall. I plan to do the same for his 4 younger siblings: Austin age 4, Lilly age 2 1/2, and twins David and Summer age 19 months. I have some cute letters for the girls, but haven't found the right alphabet for the boys. I think I'll use the Margaret Sherry alphabet for my grandtwins. MS designs are just almost  as cute as my little angels!

Our little mamma, the wren

I started stitching this in October, for the sweet little Carolina Wren that came to our door several times a day, collecting peanuts for herself and her babies. She had the babies in our neighbor's mailbox, and came to our back door for meals. As her babies got a little larger, she taught them to come to the door too. I finished "Little Mamma" (as we called her) in late December. This was the second time she raised babies here, and we haven't seen her in a couple months. She's probably gone to the peanut heaven in the sky... but her babies still come to the back door at meal time every day.

This was my first work with tweeded needles, and the photo doesn't do it justice! Little Mamma is almost as pretty in floss as she was hopping in our back door. And the "Juniors" we see every day are just as sweet!

Alphabet Soup! - or stitching for my grandson

Leland, my eldest grandson, will turn 6 tomorrow! I've been working on an alphabet for his wall, with his name stitched in the design. It will be darling once I get it finished, but I might be creating a monster with this project. It isn't that big, but I have to remember he has FOUR younger siblings that will all expect Mawmaw to stitch something special for each of them. Since the twins are just 19 months, I think I don't have to worry about them ... yet. Austin and Lilly can be a little more demanding. I'm glad their birthdays come later in the year! Still, I may have trouble finding a Tinkerbell or Hello Kitty chart.

Any suggestions?

The Southpaw Stitcher: Blogoversary Giveaway!

Here's a wonderful giveaway ~ let's all celebrate with The Southpaw Stitcher. Check out her blog, lots of beautiful handwork.

The Southpaw Stitcher: Blogoversary Giveaway!: Hey Blog Buddies, Are you as excited as I am that my one-year blogoversary is coming up on January 21st? (Well, probably not...) Anyhoo,...

Stash alert!

Since moving into an apartment, I'm still sorting through boxes and bags and cabinets... Beginning to find a lot of things that I have held onto for far too long. This is what happens when you move from a 4 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom apartment. This is a GOOD thing! Consider this a strange take on the common New Year's resolution: I'm going to lose a lot of weight this year. I'm losing the material baggage that has tied me down for years... including enough cross stitch stash that I could live to be 743 and not have to stitch the same design twice.

So why is this a "stash alert"? Because I'm trimming my baggage down. Including that stash! I've pulled out a lot of goodies - charts, kits, bead packs, materials that I want to share. Since there is a wide variety of items, I've got to figure out how I want to do this. I don't want to go even further into debt over postage costs, but I don't want to sell individual charts like I see on many blogs. I'm thinking of something like an Almost Giveaway....

I'll pull together an assortment of items, list them as an Almost Giveaway, and ask for postage cost from the winner. Will I have any takers? We'll see.

~ Lorraine Thomas

Maukie, the virtual cat

I keep running across this fun interactive cat on other blogs, so I finally added him to mine! My own cat, Gizmo, is much higher maintenance than little Maukie. Gizmo is the first long-haired cat I've ever owned. He's beautiful, but has a real problem with hair balls. He was born with a stubby tail, just about 2" long. He has so much purrrsonality ~ but he's spoiled rotten!

Did I mention that I put a little Gizmo in everything I stitch? If you have a long haired cat, you know what I'm talking about. When he's feeling especially mischievous he even swats at my needle while I'm stitching. At least he doesn't say, "Put your stitching up and shut the light off. I'm trying to sleep." haha!

Giveaways around the world of stitching

I've enjoyed reading the many blogs of other cross stitchers around the world. I've enjoyed looking at all the beautiful stitched items in progress, but I've been especially touched by the generosity of the many stitchers who are offering "12 days of Christmas" and stash-clearing giveaways! I'm obviously too late to begin a "12 days of Christmas" theme, but I will be sorting through my stash for some wonderful items to share.

I am new at blogging, but I'm an old hand at sharing my cross stitch stash! Watch this spot ~

stolen thoughts for 2012

I have to admit I completely STOLE this idea from Stitch Bitch, a fabulous blogger with great ideas.

Plans for 2012

 I need to give myself some direction. This year I will:

1. Get a job, even part time is better than nothing. And it would be NICE if it was in the health care field. After 2 years in school, I need to put my new degree to use. Graduating Summa Cum Laude was nice, but get off your butt already!
2. Start only 2 new large stitching projects for the year. I finally finished the huge "dwell in possibility" project I started when I got laid off. If I could find the charts, I could get the designer's name and the project name right. I still can't find anything since moving in here in July. But in 2012, I'm not going to have a dozen projects going at the same time. I'm not going to pick up any new hobbies or start doing any new crafts. I'll do a gazillion little ornaments and gifts, but it's time to finish some of the UFOs from previous years. Time to use up my stash and all the freebies I've collected.
3. Finish 1/2 of my WIPs. That means I'll have to sort through all my stuff and FIND all the ufo projects! Then I can decide whether I still want to stitch them, and prioritize them.
4. Sort through my books. What I can't sell on Amazon I'll trade or share with others. I'll never understand why I moved all those books with me, or why I have a small storage locker full of books still. I guess I just took them since Kelly kept all my other stuff. Time for those books to find other homes.
5. Get back into my conversion classes. No excuses.
6. Get my digital camera out of Tom's attic and start uploading pictures of my stitching. 

I have a lot to learn about blogging. I hope other stitchers will post their thoughts here. I'd love to make some new virtual friends.

let's get this year started right!

I've been wandering in a fog for a couple years now. Time to get my life back on track... I know, baby steps. So this is where I'm beginning. January 1, 2012. I've joined an ornament exchange group on Yahoo. I've started my own blog. I'm stitching and pondering...

Join me on this journey. Or at least let me know what you're stitching. I've probably got the same project in my stash!

~ Lorraine "raised by wolves"