The Bees are in the Shop!

The bees are in the shop! I was able to make 3 bees today and they are all different – I like that I can try to make them all different by using different bases. They are cute!!!


Peg in the “hot-seat” and behind Peg, left to right, me, Norma and Lea.

The overnight rug hooking was so much fun we hated to see it end. Peg and her husband were gracious hosts and provided wonderful food and drink and a very inviting home. Darn, I’m so mad I forgot to get a picture of Peg’s beautiful 200 year old house. I just loved it and the beautiful yard. We were able to sit outside all day yesterday to hook too. It was perfect!

P.S. I was happy to have a chance to wear my lovely new custom made necklace from Lori - stop by her shop for a look at creative jewelry - Lorelei1141

Bee Update

TGIF, and thank you all for loving my bees.
I searched this morning for my “bee” wool and finally found it. I cut out a couple of bees and will try to sew a couple on Sunday and get them put together. I’ll let you know when the bees are ready!

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I’m going on an overnight with a couple of my rug hooking friends. It will be great to be together. Lea and I are riding out together to Peg’s house, and Norma is driving down from northern New Jersey. Peg is hosting and she lives in a beautiful 200 year old stone house at the other end of Chester County. We’ll have a nice dinner tonight, hooking all day tomorrow, and then my husband and Lea’s husband will ride out and meet us for dinner tomorrow night.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Potted Flower and Bees

Oh my gosh, it's Thursday already! Time sure flies when there is a holiday week.

I took my 4 Seasons pillow to the local shop today and Jane loved it - Yeah!
I also took a few other goodies (like my flower and bees) and a few of my stitched pieces from the Etsy shop. I'll be working there next Saturday and the following Saturday too. It is such a lovely shop and a nice diversion which I'm looking forward to.

Four Seasons Pillow

The local shop that sells my rug hooking told me last week they would like a seasonal pillow - like a flag, etc. I'll be getting together Friday and Saturday with 3 other hooker friends for a mini retreat and will start (and make good progress) on a pillow for the shop. I'm really looking forward to my time with them and it will be good to get me back to some hooking since I've been doing only stitching the last couple of months.

Yesterday I was going through pictures of some of my hooked items trying to come up with an idea for a pattern for Friday when I took a 2nd look at my Four Seasons table runner (which I previously had listed in my Etsy shop) and thought, why not turn that into a pillow? I took the binding tape off of the back and turned it into a pillow. It was really lovely as a table runner but the pillow just seems to do it for me - what do you all think?
I'll take it to the shop too. I know it will be EXPENSIVE (it measures 8 x 14.5 inches) however I think my chances of selling it as a pillow are better than as a table runner. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Jane can sell it.

Here is an updated rhoddy picture too -

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day to all!
Thank you to those who have served and are missed.

Prized Rhododendron

Thursday as we turned into our neighborhood after driving home from Massachusetts my daughter practically gasped at the beauty before her. She said, everything is SO GREEN! It really caught me by surprise that she would notice the lush beauty of her home. She goes to school in the foothills of the beautiful Berkshires, however she says it does not hold a candle to home. I guess there really is no place like home.

We often take the everyday sights for granted so it is nice to be reminded. I actually always notice it (the incredible green) when we get back home after our week at the beach every summer. While the beach is lovely, I sure admire the lush green beauty of our neighborhood.

One of the most beautiful things in our yard is the huge rhododendron. My husband planted it about 18 years ago and it was about 4-5 feet tall. It has grown to about 11 feet by 11 feet and it explodes with flowers each May. Even when it is not draped in purple flowers I do enjoy the natural beauty of the shrub all year, and it is such a perfect natural screen for us on the side of the house up against the road.

I'm leaving for Massachusetts shortly to go pick up my daughter. It will be nice to have her home again for the summer.
A couple of the blogs I follow have talked about the simple pleasures in life and I thank you for reminding us all. Take pleasure in your loved ones, in nature and creativity. Appreciate all little things that give us pleasure or puts a smile on our faces. Life is good!

Graduation

Our first has graduated! Wow!
It was a wonderful weekend - we were very proud and it was a lovely and emotional ceremony.
I am glad Brian is trying his independence by staying out in Cincinnati. As a parent I can't help but have a little bit of concern since he does not have a job yet, but it's all on him now. In one sense, we've crossed a parenting threshold and there is no turning back. It is a different feeling now having him gone after graduating rather than when he was gone while he was a student. I guess it should not feel different but it does - it is a feeling of finality.
Wednesday I'll be going to Massachusetts to get my daughter after her last exam so she will be home till September. Life marches on!

Graduation

Hi Everyone
One of those big events of a lifetime is happening this weekend – our son is graduating from college! We are so proud and so excited. He is graduating from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. We’re leaving at 4 AM Friday for the long 9-hour drive out there, and our daughter is flying out from Massachusetts tomorrow night in between her final exams. It will be a special weekend. I hope I can fight the tears of pride and joy back long enough to get some pictures. Brian majored in Sports Management and does not have a job, however he has decided to stay in Cincinnati and see if he can make a go of it.

(Brian on the left)

Hope you all have a nice weekend – I’ll chat with ya in a couple of days.

For the Birds

I completed this “sweet bird” pillow Monday and the same day one of the blogs that I follow, Bbest Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team, happened to be on the same wave-length as me with their bird-related posting. Check out their blog and some of the great bird-related finds listed by the members.

I love birds and find it so pleasurable and peaceful to watch and listen to them in my garden. I hope the sun is shining for you today in your garden. Think of me later enjoying the birds in my garden.

Speaking of birds, I went to pick up a few things from the local shop where I sell some of my things and on her front door (an old house) right in the wreath a robin built a nest and there were little baby birds poking their heads out looking for Mama bird. It was the sweetest sight, right on the front door!

Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not – and I know you all won’t!
I just want to take this time to say THANK YOU to all of my faithful followers. When I started blogging a couple of months ago I never dreamed I’d get a following and, more importantly, a following of individuals who genuinely care about me. You’re a special group and I’m thankful for your friendship, concern and love. It really means a lot.

I also appreciate the talent you all have – you are an amazing group. I love seeing what is happening in your world, what you struggle with, what inspires you, and your incredible works of art. You are a joy and an inspiration.
Thank you for being part of my life!
xo

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day everyone.
Whether you are a Mom or a child of a special Mom, I hope you have a wonderful day.

The Season is Over!

I can't believe the season is over! It is bittersweet for them I'm sure. It was a great season, especially winning their conference championship (A-10) in April, and they had a great weekend finishing up the season at Dad Vail.

Loading the trailer at the end of the day

fighting for 2nd place


Taking off this morning for the race

I'm going to miss crew. Looking forward to next year!

Annoying Morning - Regatta Afternoon

We woke today to no power! Our power went out at 4 AM, and on my morning walk I found out a transformer in the neighborhood blew! We slept right through it but according to neighbors close to the transformer box it was quite a loud explosion. Of course it took forever to get restored. We needed to leave by 1 PM, and the power was still not on. I felt totally helpless without it. It's crazy how dependent we are.

The reason we had to leave by 1 PM is today in Philadelphia is the start of the 71st Dad Vail Regatta, the largest collegiate regatta in the country, with over 100 colleges and universities participating. It is a 2-day event which is held each May on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. Philadelphia, like Boston is a big rowing city.

It is an incredible event with thousands of people. Unfortunately we've had so much rain that the river was running so high, fast and muddy that they had to shorter the course by 500 meters and change today's heats to head races. No one likes head races - they are racing the clock rather than competing in heats with other boats, and I would think a difficult thing to do. Each boat is sent out at 30 second intervals. Nonetheless, the competition is fierce with hundreds of schools competing. This is kind of like a super bowl for rowing for at the collegiate level.

Our daughter rows for UMass, and is competing in her first Dad Vail as a freshman or novice. I wish all of the athletes well, however I have to say, Go UMass! So far almost all of "our" boats placed for semi finals, and thankfully our daughter's did too. Looking forward to a day on the River tomorrow. The last event of the season.

Cheers! Is it 5:00 PM Yet?

I wish it was 5:00 PM – I need a nice glass of wine – LOL! I guess I could pretend I’m in another time zone?!

I went for my testing today. I can’t believe this company is being so diligent, and I have not even had an interview yet! Anyway, the other day I received a link to a test which was to measure one’s logic. I felt like I was taking the SATs or Boards - the questions, and graphs, and charts, etc.! I spent a couple of grueling hours completing that, and hoped the worst was behind me. Then today in the HR department I was given a vocabulary test, a spelling test and a math test, without a calculator! I must admit we are in a bad place when we rely so heavily on automation to do the work for us. I was stumped and could not do some of the multiplication and division – it’s been more than 30 years since I’ve had to do math without a calculator and I totally could not think! Then, last but not least, I had to complete some Microsoft testing! It was quite a day. Like I said, I could really use a glass of wine – come on 5:00 PM!
Actually, the martini in the picture looks awfully inviting…………..
Thank goodness I’m laughing!

Cheers my friends!

OK, Now What?

It was one of those days when I say, now what? Today just seemed to get old to me. I think it was the first time since February when I've felt, OK, I've had enough, the party is over and I'm ready to go back to work!
I'm kind of sitting on pins and needles at the moment. I'm waiting to hear about a date for my 2nd interview at the company I went to last week who is still interested. The interview I went on Monday was good too and I'm anxious to hear back from them whether they want to proceed or not. Good practice means waiting a week before contacting them, so if I don't hear from them by next Monday I have the green light to call and inquire about their interest. My third prospect is tomorrow - sort of! They want to interview me and are willing to meet my salary requirements however I must go to their office for testing first, which I'm doing tomorrow. I just have all of these opportunities, thankfully, and I'm getting anxious - ARGH!

I did get a check today for the lovely pillow above. There is a local shop that will sell some of my hooked pillows and yeah, sold one! Sales are few and far between with the hooking since they are priced higher due to the time involved (and materials) to make them but I'll take those few and far betweens though. Anything to have an excuse to stay creative right?
Speaking of which, I wish some of my stitching in my Etsy shop would sell too but, oh well, I'm enjoying the opportunity to stitch and create.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Matthew Mark Luke and John
The bed be blest that I lie on
Four Angels to my bed
Four Angels round my head

This is my latest addition to my Etsy shop. I think the verse is so sweet. It is my interpretation of The Four Angels sampler by Hester's Sisters. I used the angel motif in their pattern and part of the original verse, and I added a strawberry border on 3 sides and made it into a pillow, loosely stuffing it in keeping it with a very primitive home-crafted look.

According to the pattern, the verse is attributed to Thomas Ady in England around 1656. It is believed this was the origin of the popular children's pray, now I lay me down to sleep......

Monday

What a dreary Monday it is - rain, rain and more rain. Besides that freakish heat wave last week, we have had a dreary, gray spring. At least the dreary gray and wet weather does lead to beautiful lush foliage. Since I can't get outside to photograph nature at it's best I've decided to photograph nature inside. I'm amazed how lovely this old girl (my African Violet)looks every year. She must be well over 20 years old but keeps growing and showing year after year. I don't give any special attention to this plant either. I water her once a week and that's it. She sits in a window that gets early morning sun - a combination of little direct and lots of indirect sun, and she truly thrives.

Since it is so dreary I'm having trouble photographing my latest piece for my Etsy shop. I've taken so many pictures but I'm only just barely happy with a couple of them. I can't decide if I should add to my shop anyway or wait. The forecast is for more gray weather so if I wait it might be a few days. Decisions, decisions!

I did have another interview today with a new company. I liked this one too. Yeah. I'm feeling good cause at least I'm on the right road and making some headway now.