Burlap tree

Hello hello hello.  Just came home from errands and wanted to show what I found. 

 

 

I fell in love with this two foot burlap and rusty bell wrapped tree and wanted to create a large version for outside my kitchen window. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The large tomato cages were not working without wrapping them first with wire or twine to create a more solid frame.  The burlap was falling into the open areas.  Stacking several cages would help and using a heavy twine over the entire cage would also make a great outdoor tree.  Since it wasn't working and I have no time or patience to do it properly, I put it off for now. 

 

Then I ran into my local craft store for a quick browse and found this five foot grapevine on a better frame for only $12.50.  I can add more vines, twine, or wrap in burlap strips.  Clear strung lights on brown wire mixed in with thin grapevines will encircle the tree.  I think it will look great outside and hold up for years.  I don't know if I will work on it before I put it away or wait until next year.  Hmmm.  I could forget by then - best work on it now - maybe February?

 

Have a good day everyone.

 

 

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Mary Lamin's Sampler

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.
Ours was spent once again in a hospital room.  Never got to bake cookies, have a family dinner, wrap gifts, relax.
 

 I scheduled this post to appear Friday - it's the only thing I am sure of at this point. 

Right now I am at the hospital waiting for scope results. Christmas day 2013 was spent in the same hospital when Carole's heart failure began.  This year, it's her son.  We have no answers, they aren't sure of the problem, and sent him home from the ER twice before realizing there is something radically wrong.  Staff is short during Christmas week. We postponed the dinners to this weekend, but that has been cancelled.  She's very upset, not allowed to drive, not recovered from last week's surgery, so we're going back and forth to see him and helping her.  I don't even know what day it is most times but I know where the Ativan is!  His girlfriend is there when she can be and has been a big help. 

Mary Lamin's Lord's Prayer from Homespun Elegance.  I changed a few colors as I always do, and can't remember if I used 28 or 32 count.  I think smalls will be in my Magma for a while and I'll search for a few this weekend. 

 

 

Enjoy your weekend and empty those cookie trays.  I'll be back with another little finish of Isobel's free chart you can find by clicking here - The Primitive Hare.  Thanks for visiting.

 

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Greetings from the brats

Although our already limited Christmas festivities are postponed,

we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

 

 Enjoy time with family....

eat until you're stuffed, party until you're pooped...

and have a peaceful night.

Merry Christmas to all!

 

 

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Winner, Comet, Carole, Cats

How's the weekend going so far?  Mine started with Carole not being able to breathe again and it lasted for quite a while.  She has been OK since and is concerned as to the real cause.  This should not be happening.

 

I wanted to show you the other chart I got from Early America 1815.  Comet's Feather Tree.  You can find Jingle Bird and Comet on her Picture Trail site.  It may be closed until after Christmas but her contact information is listed.
 

 

I changed the stag's body, left off the date, and added a rusty star (clear nail polish on back).  Haven't had time to do the blanket stitch around three sides, poke holes in the heavy felted wool back for the leather laces.  Probably won't either.  Tomorrow is cleaning day at Carole's, then taking her to the hospital for labwork Monday, get groceries, make Nona's risotto or Baba's stuffed cabbage for Christmas Eve.  Platters and buffet for Christmas.  I just can't do more than that and our traditional meals will not be served this year.  Haven't even baked a cookie so for the first time in forever, I will have to purchase a store's cookie tray.  That's OK.  The food isn't what's important.

 

 Here's my newest problem.  This large mean cat will not leave.  I have seen him in the woods once in a while over the years but he is now invading their space.  This is Squeak cowering and trying to sneak away from him.  I chase him away but he keeps coming back.  A half hour later, I saw Missy fly by and found Bud with the yellow cat.  It ran away and I grabbed Bud and carried him into the house while being scratched to heck.  He's hurt.  Full of mud, yellow hair on his face, bleeding paws and leg, hasn't moved for hours.  I tried getting a closer look but he started hissing and growling at me.  I think they both are hurting.  How do I keep him away?  Nitzy is skinny and young, nothing like big Budman, and will really get hurt.  Squeak won't come in and the other two don't want to stay in.  I have a little antibiotic liquid left and I will start Bud on it tomorrow morning if I can hold him.  He's been in here for hours and still won't allow me near him.

And now for the drawing.  The winner is Sheravery.  I can't contact you so please email your location and address to me.  Jingle Bird will be winging it Monday morning.
Thanks again to all of you for participating.  
Welcome to new followers!  I hope you will enjoy visiting, and I thank you all for continuing the relationships we share through this medium.  I'm not a Facebooker, not on Instagram, and enjoy the blogland way of connecting with others and learning more about fellow stitchers and their lives.
I am more exhausted than I realized, and am unplugging for a week while preparing for the holiday.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas.
If I'm not back before then, best wishes for a wonderful and Happy New Year.

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Fly away Jingle Bird!

Spread your wings and find a new home.  A quick giveaway to you my friends.  Yes another.  Unplanned, but I want to offer a little gift of gratitude for your support.  I stained the bird with walnut dye because he was a bit too clean-cut for me.  He measures 4 1/2" square without the fringe. 

  I will draw a name Saturday evening at 8pm EST. 

 

 

Carole is doing well except for the pain.  The surgery took longer because they had to replace a questionable lead from the first implantation before adding the new third lead, change the generator/transformer in the unit, and this all took place before the node ablation.  Somehow, they burned her chest with an instrument but she is not allowed to use any medication on it because it is too close to the incision.  No driving for 3 weeks and wearing a sling on the surgery side for the same length of time.

 

If you would like Jingle Bird, leave your name, initials if no-reply, on this post.

Thank you all again!

 

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I can breathe now

Thank you thank you thank you.  Your prayers lifted us both, gave us strength, and pulled us through.  Sudden death is rare but can occur within the first 48 hours so she will stay and be monitored but her surgeon is very pleased with the result.   Arrived at 11:30, emergencies developed with others, and she wasn't taken down to surgery until 5:30 pm.  It took much longer than expected and we got to see her afterward at 9 pm.  In a few weeks she should see a great difference.  This started a year ago when we rushed her to the hospital on Christmas Day. 
Everyone is treating her like a queen, remembering what she went through a few months ago.  I am still jittery and will take one more pill tonight to get a good sleep.  I've been on edge for months, anxious, fearful, feeling helpless.  I will still be for a short time until I feel comfortable that she is out of danger. I'm sure much of this is also related to menopause since I've been a hair trigger emotional crab for a long time.  In fact, I'm having a hot flash at this very moment.  And Kozy Shack rice pudding.  And Dove.  I may take a little break and try to unwind for a few days.
I can't thank you all enough for your support, prayers, good wishes, emails, comments, and tolerance for my moods.

But I will say again, thank you.
Sleep well.

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