Blog Awards and Big Announcement

My dear friend Von nominated me for a blog award yesterday...thank you very much!!! But I am in a bit of a quandry...all the blogs I read that have to do with stitching seem to have already been nominated and received at least one award this week! I don't think I could nominate 5 new people without spending a bunch of time online trying to find 5 new blogs, and then I would sort of defeat the purpose of the award, since these would be brand new to me blogs. So, I will just say, thank you again, Von, and congratulations to all this weeks winners! You all, and your stitching, inspire me daily!!!!

This has been a busy week taking care of the family, working my full time job and trying to get ready to launch my design company. With the help of my daughters, actually at their insistence and urging, we will soon be unveiling Lacey Thread Designs. I am busy working on the computer perfecting the first four designs, and they are busy stitching models for the photographs, and we are all excited to see this dream become reality. This venture will concentrate the first year on giving them some spending money as they stay home with their babies, and work for Lacey Thread. If it weren't for that need in their lives, I doubt if I would be working so hard to do this now. But I have heard from other trusted people in my life that now is the time to get this business going. I will be starting a separate blog and web page here soon, so you won't have to wade through all the "shop talk" unless you want to. I was little hesitant to even mention this until it was all ready for the "Grand Opening" but I think it may be fun to share some of the excitement with you all as we progress.

So stay tuned, exciting things will be happening around here soon!!!!

The Sweet Goodness of Summer

The last week has been very warm some days and not so warm on others, but it has been a good combination for my raspberries..the cool days have allowed the berries to grow just a little bit bigger before the hot sun ripens them to sweet perfection! Here is a picture of a picking from earlier this week...mmmm! I love July just for the raspberries!!!

This week, Tuesday I believe is my third blogaversary...hard to believe it's been three years already since I began this adventure of The Lacey Thread. And in honor of my 3rd anniversary, here is my annual picture of my daisies that grow in my back yard, a tradition I have done since I started blogging. Enjoy your week everyone!

It must be in the blood...

We spent last Saturday working on a new pattern I designed, and I couldn't resist this picture of my two oldest daughters stitching models of the design!!!! Alli hasn't stitched since she was in grade school. She caught on immediately and is making good progress on evenweave!! No Aida for this beginner!! It warms my heart to see them working so diligently when they could be outside enjoying the sunshine. Even baby Gracie seems to enjoy watching what her mom is working on!!!

A Blast from the Past....

While digging through my linen closet the other day I came across these pillowcases that I had embroidered when I was in high school...circa 1970. I decided to put them on our bed pillows, the first time they have ever been used. Almost 40 years in the hope chest without being used is pathetic. They are so old that the pattern and colors are once again in vogue. I even crocheted the matching lace edging to match the embroidery. I am embarrassed to look too closely at my stitches...not exactly up to my standards now, but not bad for a beginner!!!

A sweet finish and more pictures of Long Beach

When we were getting ready to leave for Long Beach last week, I decided to grab a crocheted baby sweater I had started a couple of years ago when Alana was newborn and had never finished. I figured if Gracie was going to be able to wear it at all I had better get on the ball and finish it. It only took me about 3 hours of work, in the car and in the motel room, to finish the crocheting. I sewed the buttons on when we got home. Amy loved it, and it fits Gracie too! Amy said, Mom, I didn't know you could make things like this!! I'm still surprising her!!! GRIN!

Here are a couple of more pictures we took on Sunday morning near Long Beach, the light house and the view from the light house. What an incredible view. This is looking south toward the Columbia River (on the other side of the long dark jetty in the center of the picture) and Oregon on the far side of the river. The little tiny specks you can see on the sand are people!!

You may notice that these last three posts are all dated the same day. I uploaded the pictures for three posts on the same day, since Blogger was being kind and letting me upload pix without too many tears, so I uploaded and saved the posts as drafts until I could come back and add some words. For some reason Blogger thinks that the draft save is the same as publish post. I can't figure how to change the date! Sorry for any confusion!

29 years ago today...

Happy Anniversary dearest.

I love you.

This has been a quiet month.

I haven't felt much like blogging this last month. Not because of a lack of events to talk about, there have been plenty of those, but, I just didn't feel like it. Lost my mojo as they say. Seems like several others in stitching blogland have been in the same rut the last weeks, so I don't feel too guilty about it. I tried once to write a post, and got a paragraph or two written, but Blogger absolutely refused to cooperate in uploading pictures, so I just deleted the whole thing and went on to something else. I suppose I could try and write a bunch of posts catching up everything in depth, but I don't think I will. So I will just do a quick summary of my month along with a few pictures...

June 13th was my birthday, and the 15th was DH's birthday. We celebrated with a joint birthday dinner at my favorite restaurant, Falls Terrace in Tumwater. I had prawns and John had steak and we enjoyed the gorgeous scenery with a walk around the falls after dinner.

Then on Monday the 16th, my granddaughter Gracie had surgery to remove a cyst on her forehead. She did really well, the cyst was benign, and she was back home by noon the same day. The surgeon did an excellent job with the incision and it looks like only a little scratch now. We expect that it will be almost completely invisible before she starts school. Here is a before and after picture:

Then the next week we acquired a small trailer...a 1965 Shasta Compact, to be exact. It is so cute, and we just love it. We have the intention of using it for a "getaway" room here at the house for now, and hope to have it road worthy and camping ready by next summer. We have started gutting the interior down to the framing and metal skin, it shouldn't take to long to restore as it is only 11 feet long by 7 feet wide!!! A lady that we are acquainted with gave us some beautiful wood laminate for the floor, so it is going to be very pretty inside too!!!

So, let's see. That brings us to the Fourth of July, which I covered in my last post. And then today. This Monday is our 29th wedding anniversary, so John and I are at a hotel in Long Beach Washington as I type this. We have needed a weekend away, and it has been many years since we have been to Long Beach. Of course, there are what seems to be a million people here in this tiny little town, but we have a lovely view of the ocean and are enjoying our quiet time together.

John standing with a statue honoring the Lewis and Clark expedition, which ended in 1805 in this area. I believe this is Mr. Clark.

Our Hotel, right next to the main beach access. It is a 7 mile long beach...it is really the world's longest beach? I don't know. I guess I should google it, yes?

So, there is the last month in a nutshell. I haven't done a whole lot of stitching I can share. I designed a sampler for grandparents that Amy is currently stitching the model for, and I am also working on a hardanger design for a stitching pocket. (I am doing the stitching on that one) I am excited about how both of these designs are turning out...hope I can start publishing soon!!!

As I sit here looking out my hotel window at the beach, people are beginning to set off their left over fireworks on the beach...maybe we'll have another good show this evening!!

It was a good day...

We celebrated the Fourth of July at my brother's house on the lake again this year, and we had a wonderful time. Here is a little montage of our day....

My two sisters came down from Everett, plus a niece and nephew and a passel of friends, so we had a good crowd, lots of food and celebration. The guys did some fishing off the dock and we toasted marshmallows for S'mores over the campfire. The fireworks lasted past 11 PM and so it was after midnight when we got to bed. Alana hated the fireworks, and needed to be held or inside the house for most of the fireworks. Gracie slept peacefully through the whole thing!!!