Yes, I do craft!

Oh sweet confirmation!  Though life does occassionally get hectic, I can and do create!  I know I showed you this dress previously, but I wanted you to see (blurry as it may be) it finished with the embroidery. (See that previous post for the link to Samantha at The Handmade Dress to find this and many other adorable, simple patterns)  I just love this dress.  It makes my heart happy....may have to make ten more just like it.

On a different note entirely, I was sittin' on my porch this afternoon.  Just a stitchin and listening to some old Elton John again......I do that quite often.  The kids were playing in the yard while Andy was doing some yard work.  The smell of freshly cut grass wafted up to me, and I'll be if I didn't get a little misty eyed with the anticipation of spring!  That, or it could have been from prickin my finger while embroiderin'!  ;o)  We even had dinner out on the porch- and it was beautiful.  Thank you Jesus, for your refreshing renewal of the earth.....and my spirit.

Spring Personified

Dear Abby was ready for the beautiful Spring day that we finally got today.  Sunshine and 75!  Dandelions are popping up everywhere and there are buds on absolutely everything.  Can't wait to see what lovelies tomorrow holds!

Do I even craft anymore????

I've actually been wondering this myself!  It seems like FUR-EVER since I created something! (I made some cards for Lolly, does that count?)  I think the last thing I actually completed was Valentines for my babies!!!  YIKES!

The good news is that I have quite a few things in the works....the bad news is that none of them are actually finished! (Yes, I'm affraid I abandon projects like I abandon books, so that I have them stacked all over the place and each requires only a small time commitment on my part to finish!)  But I've decided to turn a new leaf and finish some of these lovely creations I have begun---because there are a ba-jillion others I'd like to start!!!!  ;o)

And while I can't take credit for this little beauty up there, I have the small task of completing it.  This is a precious dress, the Madeline, designed by Samantha over at The Handmade Dress.  My Momma actually put it together while we were visiting her last week.  My job is to embroider some cute little birdies in the apron corner and hem it.  I think I can manage that....be back with the embroidered version in the next day or two.  Anybody got any ideas for cute birdie embroidery??

My Momma

We are mountain-folk.  It's something I grow more and more proud, and aware, of the older I get.  I was born in the beautiful Appalachians of West Virginia.  My family has a unique heritage....but so does yours.  This is a picture of my Momma with her brother, Charlie, when she was a little girl.  I find this picture delightful, and love to see photos of my Momma when she was little and life hadn't been so harsh to her.  She's precious to me.  I'm at her house for a visit right now, and enjoying every minute of it.

This is my maternal grandparents, Granny (Virginia) and Snaz (Everett),  They were married as very young teenagers and had 7 children- only one of which was born in a hospital- due to a promise made by my grandmother to an older son going off in the services who was worried about her.  One born into Heaven. My family literally owned a piece of the side of a mountain.  My grandfather and grandmother had green thumbs and grew beatuiful gardens making for beautiful veggies while the mountain supplied our fruit (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, pears, crab apples)- and we were occassionally subsidized by Mick, a lifelong family friend with quite a knack for gardening and gossip. 

This is my Momma with her momma and five brothers in the 80's.  They are scattered about- West Virginia, California, Mississippi, Utah.  I wish they were all sitting in Granny's livingroom, talking and laughing over coffee again.  I'm happy to be at Momma's- soaking her up and remembering our roots- our mountian.

My Andy (and a P.S. on paperwhites!)

This is my Love.  He's been away from home for a few days helping his father get back and forth to an eye surgery in South Carolina.  My Love left his parents' house this morning at 5 o'clock so that he could make it home in time to go with me to Ben's 5 year old check-up.  Ya know, the one with four shots?  Most everyone who knows me knows that I am a complete and total needle-phobe.  I try to be a good mommy, but when it comes to vaccinations, I'd just as soon pass them up entirely.  My Love says it's my civic duty to vaccinate my children, so I do it.  My Love came home so that I would not have to do it alone.  I made him a cup of English Breakfast and gave him my super-duper-special-comfy-cozy-Christmas-present-from-Momma blankie and I pray he knows how much I love and appreciate him.

P.S.  Ya know those lovely paperwhites I posted last week?  Who knew they smell like dog urine?  Who knew?  'Fess up!  I spent three days cleaning and disinfecting my diningroom floors because I was SURE the doggies had an accident somewhere- turns out it was my stinky pretty flowers!  You guys should give a sister a warning!