Sew....What's New! Long Post with Pics! :)

Hi Everyone..
Been a while, thought I would pop in with some updates (for my wonderful friends and dedicated readers who have been wondering where I was)..
So much has been going on in my life, always staying busy :) I have changed the picture on the top of my blog again, this time it is a picture of me and one of my younger brothers with an old pickup truck in our backyard.

 Sir Charleston Bunny is getting bigger by the day, a new updated photo so you can see just how cute he is!

We recently went to Charleston, SC to attend our Son's A School graduation in the Nuclear Program of the United States Navy. He is now a Petty Officer 3rd Class! We are so very proud of his achievements so far, it was so good to be with our son again!
Here is his new patch that is proudly worn on his sleeve of his dress blues..

A coin that I ordered from Northwest Territorial Mint, I had it engraved on the back for him with his name and date of Graduation..

It was a wonderful visit in SC, the weather was a little chilly, but my daughter and I still had fun on the swings in the local park near my Sailor's military base!

After visiting SC, we came home to find out that our Clematis had finally bloomed! I had planted it in a pot inside the house well before Christmas had arrived.. So pretty!

I have been cleaning up and organizing my sewing room. It is a nice loft above the garage. I am re-puposing the dollhouse my Grandfather had made me all those years ago..it is now a perfect place to store my fabric and some notions!

Some photos of my sewing room :)

Love spending time in here! :) Some pillows I have stitched and were finishing off...

I stitched and sewed a special wallhanging to put in our kitchen of our new home. I love the way this turned out...

I am helping a friend out by stitching a baby sampler for her daughter. She wasn't able to do it with being so busy, so I offered to help..this has been taking up most of my time right now. It is 12x12 inches in size and has lots of filling in of stitches. After I finish stitching it, I will do all the back stitching. It is called "Savannah Birth Record" and it is a kit by Dimensions. I have converted the floss to DMC and converted the Aida fabric to using 28 count Lugana instead. Getting there slowly but surely!

I have been baking some...bread and blueberry pie! YUM!

I had a wonderful get together at my new home. All my stitching friends, and other friends also! We had a Grand time! I decorated with a Valentines Day theme. It was so much fun! I made baked ziti, garlic bread sticks, and ceasar salad. For desserts I made chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate chip cookies, and mini vanilla cupcakes with butter cream icing. My sweet friends brought along Krispie Kreme donuts, an Orange cake, rice pudding too..oh and peanut butter cookies with a Hershey kiss!

Left to Right, Linda S. , Suzanne, Linda K., Louise, Monica, Cylvia, Bonnie and Juanita in the striped blue top:

We all had a wonderful time! I love getting together with my stitching friends. They are so warm, loving and loads of fun to be with. Looking forward to our next get together! :)
As our get together was starting to wind down, it started to snow outside! Sooo exciting being as I LOVE snow! :) I ran outside to get a bunch of pictures..
I snapped a photo of a very pretty cardinal bird in the tree out front.

The snow was falling heavy and as everyone started to leave the get together, I went outside and snapped another photo of the front of my house. So pretty with snow!

I have received wonderful RAK's in the mail recently. A wonderful LHN Chart "Winter Snow" from my sweet friend Connie

My dear friend Jackie sews many beautiful things on her embroidery machine. What a wonderful surprise to receive this Raggedy Ann wall hanging, made on her machine! Isn't it adorable..it will go perfectly in my new sewing room upstairs :)

She also sent me an embroidered heart she made on her machine..and put it as a topper onto a heart shaped Valentine box. To my surprise she also included wonderful kits to stitch!

I am blessed beyond measure.
Wishing you all a beautiful day today, and I hope it is filled with all things that you love.
Thanks so much for stopping by, if you would like to leave a comment, that would make me smile :)
Raggedystitches,

I believe...

I believe...
I believe some old friendships are lost so new ones can form..
I believe we are brought into certain situations to help us grow and to learn to help others during the same situations...
I believe there is hope in every little thing...
I believe we are all stronger than we think...
I believe we can climb Any mountain if we try..
I believe no matter how much you try to avoid something, you were meant to be in that moment in time to experience what you needed to....
I believe we are placed right where we were meant to be...
I believe we will all find our "gift" eventually...
I believe in Blessings, Love and Hope...
I believe one day we will all come to realize what each moment in our life meant...
I believe God has his hand on each and every one of us..after all, we are his creation..

My New Header Photo ...

Was going through some old photos that were given to me. I don't have many, but the ones I do are really wonderful. This picture at the top of my blog is my Paternal Grandmother, her brother is standing to the side...the little boy is my Father!! The little girl is one of my aunts (Dad's sister)..
I treasure any photos I do have of family, especially of the people that are no longer with us.
Such wonderful memories and treasures!

Frilly Scarves!

Hello everyone, I hope this day is finding you all well and happy!
I have decided to join the craze at the moment. Everyone was making these frilly scarves and I just had
to try my hand at making them. They are pretty easy to make, although, for me, time consuming.
The end result is fantastic! They are really pretty. You can find the yarn to make these scarves at Walmart, Michaels, and I believe Hobby Lobby has it too. All different colors, some solids, but most variegated.
It is a different type of yarn, sort of like a ribbon, but you spread it out before making your stitches and it looks mesh-like.
Very pretty!
I have pink ones yet to make, and I am looking forward to starting those..the colors are so wonderful.
The pattern I have used is found HERE!
I don't know how to knit, so I used their crochet pattern.

The weather is supposed to be very warm here today ...I hope the sun peeks out and I can open the windows for some fresh air.
Charleston the bunny is getting bigger and he is a bit fiesty! He likes to run all around the house and jumps all the way up on top of our couch.
It is so nice to have a house bunny to love again.
I will upload some new pics of him soon. I haven't been using my camera too much lately ...I have a new iphone that I just love and that gets used all the time now. I will see if I can upload pictures from my phone to here.
Blessings to all of you today, and take a moment to stitch or craft, to smile and love...once tomorrow comes this day will be gone forever, make it a memorable one!
Raggedystitches,

My Christmas 2012!

Our family is having the most wonderful, memorable Christmas time this year. Our Sailor is home for the holiday and will also be with us to ring in the New Year. Blessed, yes, we are very much BLESSED. I know the good Lord knew this transition of letting my Son go...and him joining the military would be hard on me..so he BLESSED us that he would be able to come home for his first Christmas since he has left home. This is making the transition a little bit easier, but still worry for the Christmas he won't be able to be home. I know in my heart it will be very difficult for me when that day arrives.
Until then though, I will count each Blessing and enjoy each and every minute I have with both of my children and my husband with me, together as a family....and celebrate we did!!
The tree was decorated before our Son arrived home...

Cookies were baked....

 Surprises were made....

(I used Avery iron-on paper, printed out a Navy Emblem, and a picture of our daughter's pet bird and made them tops to wear!)

Charleston was hopping around looking for his hidden gifts :)

He posed for a picture too!

Received a box from family with some special gifts, memories from the past...two of my favorite things from Christmas time when I was just a little girl! 

Funny how the smallest things can remain so BIG in our hearts....

A feast prepared for our Sailor Son and our little family...

Christmas cards arrived in our mailbox too...I just love to receive greetings from far and near!

The mouse moved each day on our 22 year old Advent Calendar...

An amaryllis bulb was planted..and it is slowly emerging, looking forward to seeing it's beauty unfold!

Some things I stitched on Christmas break...

A pretty sachet filled with old pine needles from our Christmas of last year: It smells delightful!

A pin pillow using a My Big Toe design...

"Dandy Dreams" by Silver Creek Samplers...

some surprises I received and so grateful for!....

An adorable new "Annie" for my collection :) Thank you Jackie!

A Jim Shore Santa too!...

 A new crochet book to make lovely dish cloths from, along with cotton yarn and hook..

Mag eyes!! So far they seem to be helping with my stitching..

Two beautiful new table runners, one for Christmas, another for the rest of the year with bunnies on it..how did someone know that I like bunnies? :) Thank you Maggi!

I want to thank all my followers and visitors for sharing in my life's journey. I appreciate each and every one of you. For those that take a moment to leave a message, it delights my heart! I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and May you be Blessed abundantly in the upcoming New Year!

Much Love, 

Raggedystitcher's Family xx

Our New Addition to the Family!

Meet Charleston, our new baby! He is a Holland Lop that was born October 11th of this year.
We just brought him home and we are already so in LOVE!!
He is so sweet and soft. :)
I am happy we are once again a family with a bunny :)
Merry Christmas and Hoppy Holidays! :)