JUNE 18, 2009 - HAPPY, HAPPY DANCE!!!!

I have had my very best finish yet, since prior September, 2006, finally!! And, there was no one who wanted a special (She even would have been glad for any piece) project of mine more than one of my very best friends, Kathy Kiley!! Thus, I set out to make My Big Toe Design "REMEMBER ME" specifically for her!! So, I could not release the final pictures of it, until Kathy received her Birthday Box from me!!

NOW it is time to HAPPY, HAPPY DANCE for me!! I do not like a braggart, as I detest such people and I would like to continue liking myself!! However, I have to say I am proud as a peacock with the way this "REMEMBER ME" turned out!! It was my first 25-Count Evenweave, my first stitching one over one and stitching four new Specialty Stitches for me!!

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, Kathy seemed quite pleased with her Birthday gift, even though I was a bit late. Kathy was again the calming force, that knew by the time I had not sent her Birthday Box, that I was in progress of stitching her birthday gift!! She was the one who said, with great finese, that I should just put away the piece I was working on when "Clark" threw the "monkeywrench" into my stitching progress with his "Griswold Outhouse Hell Vacation" during the last week I had to finish this piece on time!! I have never been so stressed out before and after a "vacation" in my entire life!! I am still operating on complete physical and emotional exhaustion!! Kathy told me it sounded like I wanted complete perfection on this gift more than ever and that she preferred that I just be a bit late than try to continue stitching in the exhausted state I was in. I am still working my way back into completely being and feeling such exhaustion!! However, I am so grateful Kathy convinced me to back off it for a bit until I had some rest!!

I had found this wonderful navy blue "Memory Album" while actually out on an appointment at a VA facility for Max. I spotted this beautiful leather album and knew I just had to have it!! Then, I remembered the chart I had for quite some time. I just knew it was the perfect combination for Kathy's birthday this year!!

The best part of doing this was I knew I needed to get some just perfect navy blue braid for the edges to make a perfect finish for mounting my piece on the front of this beautiful album. I had expressed to Max that I simply had to get out some time to find this braid and I knew it had to be some where other than Clinton as it has nothing since Wal-Mart gave up most of it's crafting things!!

Thus, the day I had to be rushed down to Davenport, 50 miles away, for what I thought would amount to be put on some antibiotics, I told Max that no matter the outcome I absolutely wanted to go to the new Super Joann's store also located there. Well, I ended up having emergency surgery for what was found to be a tumor in the roof of my mouth!! Hours later, while Max was transferring me into our van from my wheelchair at the Surgery Center, he asked if I still wanted to go looking for the braid. I was still groggy from anesthesia, but I said most definitely!! Max said he really did not want to even try to do this, but he knows my determination when I set my mind into doing any thing!! So, off we went to Super Joann's!! We got there and Max again transferred me and wheeled me in the store. He immediately began looking just for the aisle that had braid as quickly as he could. He began taking any thing navy off the shelves and I kept shaking my head no. Then, Max finally got in to the very nice variety of braid which I had wanted. He again kept picking up all navy braids and some I would nod okay to as I was again drifting off into additional morphine sleep and he knew he was on his own. He continued to pick up any navy braid he thought would do!! He then quickly went looking for a check out counter. The man at the register informed Max he had to go to the cutting table before checking out. By this time, Max just told him he would take all of it, but again this man told him he still had to go back to a cutting table!! So, off we went to find a cutting table and upon finding one a woman clerk realized Max was having a problem and asked what she could do to help. Max told her he simply wanted to check out. And, being I was in no state to decide which of the braids I wanted, that he had continued to choose after I had drifted off, that he would take them all!! The woman told Max that some of the bobbins contained several yards and asked if he thought I truly needed that much of so many different braids. Max tried to ask me, but it got him no answer about any braid!! Thus, he told the woman what I was trying to do with the braid. And, between them, they decided on two yards just to be sure I had enough!! In the end, I now have the start of some real braid stash, but all in navy blue!! But, the good thing was there were two different ones that were absolutely perfect for the Album cover!!

I keep telling him he might as well begin to stitch as he is beginning to learn about all the different things about it!! He said he had a life time fill of picking out and purchasing braid, so he thought not!!

Last finish, I had a first 32-Count Linen and this time it was 25-Count Evenweave!! I just am beginning a first 28-Count Teal Jobelan. Debra Hall sent me a chart among her birthday gifts to me that I absolutely love. I "thought" I had seen every "tea" related chart existing, but here was a brand new one to me!! It is by Ellen Mauer-Stroh called "Stitching Hour". It has a 2000 Copyright. I absolutely loved it and had to at least give it a start in a rotation I am going to organize soon and stick to it!!

Thus, I know the pictures above leave a lot to be desired!! But, I am sure Kathy will have some posted soon that show the true beauty of this soon!! Remember, all have to give an extra kick in this HAPPY, HAPPY DANCE jig for me!!

Love and Hugs!!

Deborah

P.S.

I am embarassed for my lateness in getting all my Thank Yous out for all the beautiful things I received for my birthday. I also am working on getting all the things photographed and posted!! There is truly no excuse for such rudeness, but I truly have just finally totally depleted and still have total exhaustion. I am trying to get a bit more accomplished each day, but it is truly very slow getting any thing accomplished yet!!