Welcome to a quick update on my current cross-stitching. Am I the only one who can not believe it is August already? Seems like July just came and went so fast I barely noticed it. Although I had grand plans for Christmas in July stitching, I really did not get as much done as I anticipated.
Especially these last few days. One of our dogs, Duke, has a spinal disc injury and is on two weeks of mobility restrictions. That is taking some adjustments to routines. Thankfully, he is taking to it like a champ, so I really shouldn’t complain.
Fortunately, I did make some progress in Nutcracker Parade over the weekend. Clara & The Nutcracker’s float is all stitched up. Hopefully, I will manage to get the whole piece stitched before the Christmas season as I would really like to fully finish it and display it this year.
Now, I am bringing back out Animal Almanac. Counting August, I am four blocks behind. Can I get caught up before the Midnight Way SAL begins on August 17th? Probably not, but it will be fun to try!
Poor Duke and his comfort buddy, Daisy.
I hope this finds you well and enjoying life. Thanks for checking in & happy stitching!
In June, our church ended a sermon series, and traditionally before starting a new series we, as a church body, take the opportunity to celebrate communion. Communion services are by far my favorite services and this particular communion service was especially good because of the message we received that day. The sermon was on baptism and communion as public signs of grace. Exploring their purpose and place within the Christian life. If you would like to hear that message click here: Public Symbols of Grace
My Public Symbol of Grace
With that message in mind, this seemed like a good opportunity for me to share my baptism story. Not, my testimony, that would be a very long post. However, I do want to share that pure moment when I first felt the heart tug of the Lord.
My teen years were a very difficult time for me, my parents, my siblings, and anybody who cares for me. When I was 16, in an effort to help me, my parents with encouragement from loved ones, sent me on a senior youth group retreat. It was during that retreat that I first felt the heart tug of the Gospel message. I grew up in the Catholic Church and I had heard the message of the Gospel many times, but it was during that retreat in particular when I felt that need to have a personal relationship with Christ.
At the end of the retreat, the youth pastors held a baptism service, at the hotel pool, for anyone who wanted to make that statement. I don’t remember actually making the choice to be baptized but I do remember that I wanted to mark the moment I knew that something changed in my heart. The feeling of peace that surrounded me as I went under the water was like no emotion I had ever experienced and that peace stayed with me as I reemerged.
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Romans 6:14
Keep in mind:
Baptism does not save, it symbolizes. It does not dispense grace; it displays grace already given. That complete covering of the water symbolizes the complete cleansing power of that grace, of the complete forgiveness Jesus brings when we trust in Him for salvation.
Dr. John Ewart
I wish I could say everything in my life got better and started to fall in place after that. But that was not what the Lord had in mind for the testimony of Him in my life. Little did I know what the years to come held for me; the darkness that I would face, the places I would be taken, and the many ways I would be led astray. How grateful I am that before those years came to pass my eternal salvation was already secured and publicly declared that day, in that pool, at 16 years of age.
Welcome to another update on my current cross-stitching. This week I have been stitching on Onward Noble Steed, Nutcracker Parade, and Celestial Sleigh. Additionally, I came across a fabulous new cross-stitch blog.
Onward Noble Steed
The third and final part of this mystery SAL by Lindy Stitches was released on Friday, July 10th. By the time I got around to working on it the following Sunday, Stephanie had shared the information regarding the negative association between children of color and alligators. My own brief investigation into that topic left me knowing I wanted to stitch the alternative pattern making sure mine project looked nothing like an alligator. So I started stitching the alternative pattern with some color changes and minor changes to the head shape. However, I found myself struggling all week to work on this piece when previously I had no trouble at all. Finally, my husband said, “why are continuing to do something that is causing you so much frustration?”. When he said that I looked at my stitching so far and realized I was completely unhappy with how the dragon was turning out, and I had 3/4 of it stitched. Still, I said to myself if you’re not liking it, there is no shame in frogging out what you don’t like. So I’m starting my dragon over. I’ve already started frogging and I’m planning on sketching a modification to the pattern based on a gorgeous photo that somebody shared of their dragon.
Nutcracker Parade
At the beginning of Jolly July, I brought back out Nutcracker Parade from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. Unfortunately, the frustrations I was having with my other project the past 2 weeks kept me away from stitching most days. But I do have the Clara & Nutcracker float almost finished, and I’m really excited to move onto the Mouse King’s float soon. I’m not sure if I will have this one finished by the end of July, which is what I was hoping for, but I am glad that I brought it out and made some progress on it.
Celestial Sleigh
This week I went back to doing some bedside stitching in the evenings before bed. It seems my brain just needs that activity to calm down in the evening. Keeping with the Jolly July theme, I pulled out a Mill Hill kit from my stash, Celestial Sleigh from the Sleigh Ride Charmed Ornaments 2017 collection. At this point, I’ll probably alternate between Celestial Sleigh and Midnight Owl every night until both of them are finished.
A New Blog
This week I also discovered a fabulous new blog, well new to me blog, for cross stitching: Hannah Hand Makes. I can’t even tell you how I discovered the blog, but I’m so delighted that I did. Currently, I’m working through reading some of the older posts, especially the ones with finishing ideas. My favorite post so far though, is 5 Things to Do When You Lose Your Motivation to Cross Stitch. My take away from this post is that it’s OK to take a break from your stitching when you need it. I think sometimes I put pressure on myself to get a project finished or to stitch every day, and but it’s OK if you need to take a break. There are other things I enjoy that give me peace and relaxation, and it’s OK if I want to engage in those hobbies for a little while and then come back to stitching later. Stitching will always welcome me back.
I hope this finds you well and enjoying life. Thanks for checking in & happy stitching!
Kelly and Megan could not be happier for their friend Allison Dubois—a young, talented, up-and-coming artist. Invited by a designer to join her New York studio, Allison is about to embark on a new life. But when Kelly and Megan arrive at Allison’s apartment to drive her to the airport, they find her dead on the floor, apparently from an overdose of sleeping pills. The police suspect suicide, but Kelly and Megan aren’t convinced.Soon Kelly discovers that while Allison’s career was on the fast-track, her social life was a mess. A bad news boyfriend, a jealous design student, and a mysterious man named Brian are all prime suspects in Kelly’s book. Now it’s up to Kelly and her crafty friends from the House of Lambspun to unravel this tightly stitched puzzle…(Via Goodreads)
My Thoughts:
While I enjoyed the third installment of the Knitting Mystery Series, it isn’t my favorite. There were a couple of plot development points that I felt were rushed, in addition, I felt the instantaneous relationship between Kelly, Jennifer, and the supporting character Eugene Tolliver was unrealistic. Maybe this is colored by my own life experiences, I just don’t believe that people have that type of sudden familiarity in a friendship. That point aside, this was the first time my immediate guess of the murderer’s identity was correct. So having the experience of feeling like I knew who did it, then being given more and more evidence that I was correct, may have negatively impacted my enjoyment of the book. I much prefer it when I am proven wrong or am completely surprised.
Regardless, the negative impact was minimal, because I thoroughly enjoyed reading the further development of the friendships between our main character Kelly and the people in her knitting circle. Also enjoyable was the development of Kelly’s sleuthing skills, she is really becoming a creative amateur detective. Further, I wholeheartedly rooted for the progression of Kelly and Steve’s relationship. Like the rest of Kelly’s new circle of friends, I am excited about the decisions she’s made pertaining to her life in Fort Connor.
Overall this was a good installment in the series, the presentation of the crime, and how Kelly, our central character once again gets involved was believable and not outside the realm of what could happen to anybody. The few parts that I did not enjoy or had a problem with, will not deter me from continuing in my journey through the Knitting Mystery Series.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review; if you like you can follow my reading activity on Goodreads.
Welcome to another update on my current cross stitching. Since last Friday, I have been stitching on Mystery SAL, No Probllama, & The Nutcracker Parade. I also took some time on Sunday to make some decorative floss wax.
Usually on the weekends, I work on my smaller projects because they are easier to pick up/put down during weekend activities, and easier to take in the car if the hubby & I go out. This past weekend, I spent my stitching time on Part 2 of the Mystery SAL by Lindy Stitches. The majority of the stitching I did while having some quality FaceTime with my mom on the porch!
Like I said, on Sunday I took some time to make some more decorative floss wax. Living in the country, there is no end to local beekeepers and they are always present at the Farmer’s Markets or local fairs. When I see them, I always grab a couple bars of beeswax. From there I just melt it in a double broiler and pour into a silicone mold. Personally, I love using wax to condition my floss when I am stitching, and of course I could just cut a piece off the block of beeswax and use it like that, but where is the fun in that!
Over the weekend we made a stop at Hobby Lobby, where hubby pointed out this adorable Dimensions kit. Now I don’t typically buy kits from them, as I feel they are very over priced, but I could not resist this cute Llama. He just makes me so happy I couldn’t wait to get started.
Even though I did have plans for Christmas in July projects, I just had to get a start on No Probllama, so I got started on that during Monday morning‘s devotional and stitching time. Additionally, I had a medical appointment on Monday and on the car ride to the doctor’s office, I managed to get a little bit more stitching done.
Monday’s appointment was for a minor procedure done, minor but still painful. They gave me some medicine for the pain which made me very sleepy as well as the procedure itself left me sore. This resulted in very late mornings and little stitching time the rest of the week. Tuesday, I spent the afternoon resting, binge watching Hidden on Acorn TV, & celebrating Christmas in July by stitching on The Nutcracker Parade. It was a slow process as I kept dozing off, but by Thursday evening I think I made good progress.
That’s it for my weekly wrap up, I hope this finds you healthy, blessed & enjoying life.
Welcome to another update on my current cross stitching. This week I have been stitching on Midnight Owl, Animal Almanac, & a Mystery SAL.
Last week I was a little off kilter and hadn’t really touched my stitching. On Sunday I had the idea to try a new start; figuring that would be the best cure for my stitching blues. It was perfect timing since I had just received part one of the Mystery SAL from Lindy Stitches on Friday. It took very little time to get it all kitted up and I had part one stitched by the end of Monday morning. I am very excited to watch this come together.
This week I also decided to change my routine up a little bit. Typically in the evenings, I would work on a project from my smalls bin, as a way to wind down and get ready for bed. Unfortunately, that is also the prime time for reading and I realized that I wasn’t reading as much as I was stitching. In the mornings, especially if I’m up early, I like to spend time studying the Word. Most of the time I watch a verse by verse teaching sermon. So what I started doing this week is dedicating those early mornings to devotional time and stitching a small. Spent my early morning time this week in the Book of Matthew and stitching Midnight Owl.
Once I got going with stitching this week I naturally went back to my Animal Almanac SAL, and managed to get blocks three and four, March & April, stitched. The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery patterns are currently my absolute favorite patterns to stitch, so I’m not sure why I’m having a hard time staying up-to-date with this SAL. Regardless, I am still going to put it away for a little bit so I can work on my Christmas in July plans, which also include a Frosted Pumpkin pattern.
I hope this finds you well and enjoying life. Thanks for checking in & happy stitching!
Welcome to another update on my current cross stitching. Unfortunately, at the start of June, maybe a bit before, my stitching bug disappeared and could not be found anywhere. Thankfully, it has returned with renewed energy and I have quite a few items to share. This week I have been continuing my progress on Animal Almanac, but I also have a small FFO and a new start.
Love Stitching
Memorial Day weekend, hubby and I originally planned a weekend getaway. Like so many others, that was cancelled due to COVID-19. So we decided to make it a staycation instead. We planned out activities, meals, and splurges that are outside the norm. Also included in our plans, was for each of us to have some hobby time. For him, model trains; for me, stitching. I decided to start a small Mill Hill kit from my stash and chose: Love Stitching. It was great fun to work on this piece during our staycation and I managed to get is fully finished this past Sunday. I did finish it as an ornament, but it may end up being the first page of a stitching “junk” journal I’m contemplating starting.
Animal Almanac
Although I am not quite on track with this stitch along, I did make good progress this week on blocks 3 & 4. Working them color by color, two at a time does seem to make the progress go faster, so I might work on this every other month (once I’m caught up) so I can pull out other WIPs on the alternate months.
Midnight Owl
Today I put the first couple of stitches in a new Mill Hill kit, Midnight Owl. My hubby bought this kit for me late last year as a gift with an Amazon gift card he got from work. Once it arrived, naturally I was super excited to receive it and I said “Now when am I going to stitch you?” This was a rhetorical question, but hubby responded anyway and challenged me to have it finished by October of this year. (I believe if I win the challenge I get another kit from my wish list.) So, this gorgeous owl is prepped and ready to go as my bedtime stitching piece. He will be complete by October!
Thanks for checking in, stay safe, be well, & happy stitching!
In Knit One, Kill Two, Kelly Flynn returns to Colorado for her aunt’s funeral only to suspect that the woman’s death was not an accident. With the help of the knitting regulars at House of Lambspun, Kelly’s about to get a few lessons in creating a sumptuously colored scarf-and in luring a killer out of hiding. In Needled to Death, Kelly visits her friend Vickie’s alpaca farm, and finds her splayed out on her original hand-woven rug, blood seeping into the design. Kelly can’t resist investigating-even if it means taking a break from the sweater she’s been knitting in the round. (Via Goodreads)
My Thoughts:
Pleasantly surprised is a good description of how I feel about the first 2 books in the Knitting Mystery series. It’s been a long time since I pulled an all nighter in order to finish a book, but that’s exactly what I did to get to the end of Needled To Death. Before we get into that let’s back up a bit.
Back in 2018, I read Knit One, Kill Two, but never got around to writing a review. So when I snagged Double Knit Murders from Bookbub, I figured it would make the most sense to read it again to refresh my memory before moving on to Needled To Death. That was a good decision!
Like any good first in a series, Knit One, Kill Two introduces not only our heroine but also the supporting characters that we anticipate we will see throughout the series. Our heroine in this cozy mystery series is Kelly Flynn, an independent self disciplined woman, with an analytical mind. It is very easy to relate to Kelly and follow along with her emotional and logistical journey to uncover the hidden truths about her aunt’s life and ultimately her death.
A wide range of supporting characters develop through the context of the knitting group at the local yarn shop. Each supporting character is unique in their own right and yet this eccentric group of individuals, through the connection of knitting, develop into Kelly’s friends, family, and coconspirators in her hunt for the truth. In Needled to Death, those friendships and Kelly’s connection to Colorado, develop even further as another shocking murder hits close to home for the knitting group.
The first book in this series also does what all first books in a good mystery series do, that is form a paradigm that explains or at least gives authenticity to how the main character becomes intertwined in various murder investigations. For the Knitting Mystery series, it is my assumption that Kelly’s analytical mind and unique way of seeing details that others might not, is how we will see her become embroiled in investigations.
Although I had previously read Knit One, Kill Two, I still enjoyed refreshing my mind on the creative way the the story unraveled through Kelly’s simple belief that the story of how her aunt was murdered just did not make sense. With each page, I enjoyed following Kelly’s train of thought and also loved watching her passion for fiber arts begin to develop. Since I already knew, or at least had a slight recollection, of how the story ended, I was able to enjoy more of the “background” environment when reading this a second time.
Within the first couple chapters of the second book, Needled to Death, I was positive I knew who was responsible for the murder. As I continued in the story, I fell in love with the character that I thought was the murderer. Even though this individual seemed to be the most likely culprit, page by page I kept praying that it was not true. Growing closer and closer to the end, that’s when I pulled my all nighter in order to find out the truth.
When it comes to book series, I definitely have brand loyalty and a binge mentality. That is to say that when I find a book series that I really enjoy I tend not to veer off of that series until I have read everything available, save waiting my turn for a book from the library. Therefore, it should be no surprise, that I have already borrowed books 3 and 4 from my e-library. I look forward to seeing what else is in store for Kelly and the rest of the knitting group.
If you’re looking for an intriguing mystery, one that’s not very heavy with dark criminal activity, and yet is captivating enough to keep you turning the pages; if you’re looking for a story that has interesting characters and relatable life events; if you’re looking for you’re next good read: I highly recommend adding Double Knit Murders to your TBR list.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review; if you like you can follow my reading activity on Goodreads.
Welcome to another update on my adventures in cross stitching. This week I have been attempting to get caught up on the Animal Almanac SAL from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. Even though I got a late start this year, once I finished the first block I really thought it would go quickly, what with quarantine and everything.
Alas, my stitching bug seemed to play hide and seek most of April. However, with the beautiful North Carolina May weather, I am living on my porch, a place my stitching bug loves! Since my last update, I now have an adorable fox in a tub! Renny is the adorable animal for the February block, and I must admit I am jealous of that luxurious bubble bath. 🛁
Now I am on to blocks 3 & 4, March & April, and I have decided to work them simultaneously by color. My thinking is that this strategy will move my stitching along quicker. Then, if needed, I can work May & June together and will be all caught up!
I hope this finds you well, safe, healthy, and enjoying life.
So is it just me or did everyone wake up on May 1st and say: What happened to April? 🤔 It feels like I’ve been staying safe at home forever and yet it also feels like yesterday was March. They say time flies when you’re having fun, but actually when there aren’t enough unique and alternating activities that define your time, that’s when life flies right past you, leaving little memory to mark the time.
Well I marked my time in April, or attempted to, by having a finished piece to brag about. Sure enough, I’m bragging about Moonstruck! She’s finally finished, bling and all, and I just love how it turned out. The frame is on order, but I couldn’t wait to show her off.
This is the first larger Mill Hill kit that I’ve completed, and it’s sure not to be the last. I’ve been stitching the smaller ~3 inch kits for a while now, they are my go to travel/bedside projects. However, I wanted to branch out and I just fell in love with the cat sitting on the tree limb. There are already a half dozen of the larger kits in my stash now so I’m sure it won’t be long before I share another one.
I hope this finds you well, safe, healthy, and enjoying life. Thanks for checking in & happy stitching!
Heart, Hounds & Hobbies 