January 30, 2017

What a difference 24 hours can make. I couldn't go to sleep Saturday night. My stomach hurt so badly and I was making frequent trips to the bathroom. I told Jeff at about 2am that I didn't think I'd be going to church in the morning. I finally tried to go to bed and dozed off only to jerk awake a little after 3 with my mouth start to water. Yep, you know what came next. So awful and violent I feel like I'm bruised from the inside out. My rib cage hurts! I'm pretty certain I didn't break anything, I'm just so sore. Yesterday I think I slept about 20 hours. Seriously! I would move between the bedroom and the living room but couldn't stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time. Bless my boys' hearts. They took great care of me. I had fallen asleep on the sofa, yet again, and woke up about 3:30 soaked completely through. My fever had broken, making this a 24 hour flu. I'm glad I was off today, though. I was so weak I would not have been able to function. I still feel fuzzy, although since I'm diabetic it could just be mostly that. I've been pretty good today, eating small meals and still sleeping quite a bit. Hopefully I'll be able to sleep tonight! I have to go to work tomorrow so we'll see how it all goes. 

Anyway. on with the stitching! I managed to stitch a little bit today. I'm trying to finish the January section of the Quaker Fantasies 2017 SAL. I don't think it will be finished this month, but it should be finished shortly into February. I'm enjoying my color choices so far. 

My selection for today came because of a Facebook post from my friend, Paula. She showed her progress on this one and it made me want to visit with mine again. This one even comes with a story. Blackbird Designs' blogsite http://www.blackbird-designs.com/ says they are 17 years old this year. I don't know if that includes both quilting and stitching, or just their quilting start. I do know that several years ago, I was at a stitching event at The Old Mill Stitchery in Liberty, MO. We were having a lovely time with our seasonal projects when this woman walked in and talked with Mary, one of the shop owners. Mary then turned to our group and announced that the other woman was part of a new cross stitch design team and wanted to know if we would like to see their first designs, which they were getting ready to take to Market. Of course we were thrilled! It was wonderful seeing their unique approach of converting their love of quilting into cross stitch. I fell in love with their designs on the spot. 

About 6 or 7 years ago I was in the Mill when Barb Adams came in and joined me at the thread wall. She was choosing colors for a new project. She was excited to share her ideas for it. I wanted to know how soon I could get it! She said it was in the early stages so I needed to wait a little longer. She had told me she was feeling that it would be a holiday garden of some sort. I waited a few months then started bugging the ladies at the Mill for news of this garden. They had no idea what I was talking about. I was privy to the new project just through luck of the moment. They hadn't announced anything about it. Finally, in 2011, Christmas Garden was released. I knew it had to come home with me, but like so many other projects, it got set aside in favor of another project. I think this will be a focus project for me this year. I want it finished. I want it framed. I want it hanging. That means that each month I will put in a few stitches (at least) on this project. With that said, I'd better get stitching because there's only one more day left in this month!

Christmas Garden

Blackbird Designs

225w x 272h

32ct Parchment linen from R & R Reproductions

Overdyed floss as charted

Taking it easy so I'll recoup faster!

Laura :)