Friday, May 16, 2025

Stitching and More

I have stitching to share, thoughts on this time of year and my plants, and a little life thrown in the mix.


Stitching

First up. I finished the dolphin. I was obsessed with stitching it. I know. I know. How can one love stitching something you change colors every 30 seconds? It is weird, I get it. I was that way too with the whale I stitched. Watching it come together is strangely fun. Lest you think it is just a blob of different colors; there are swirls and lines and circles all through it to make it come to life with patterns.


I finished it yesterday and cut it out and ironed the cloth to go behind it and found myself in the sewing room fairly early this morning stitching the pillow. 
As I started putting the trim around it, I realized there is a lot of blue underneath the dolphin compared to the whale by the same pattern. They are different for certain. I think I will leave it like that. My initial thoughts were maybe it needed a nautical charm of which I have a bag of, but I think I like it just plain. I will live with it awhile and see.

The pattern was by Awesome Pattern Studio and was stitched on 36 count peacock linen.




I shared that I had hung my sandpipers, but needed to sit on the location a week. I have landed on that I quite like it in my guest bathroom. At first, I wondered if was lonely on the wall and did I need to move the turtles on the opposite wall ---do a swap a roo.


I have decided after walking by it many times during the week that I am pleased with it. I can even add to it. It doesn't look as small in person as it does in the photograph.

I ended up liking the frame more too. The bathroom has cabinets similar in stain.



I don't think I ever shared the final home for Valerie's name.



Future Stitching

I think I have a plan for Valerie's Christmas ornament put together. That will be my next start. Oh, and I have some of that peacock blue linen I used on the dolphin and whale left, probably enough to stitch 2 ornaments. I am thinking some retro Christmas ornaments in the pinks would look good on them and I have a flamingo pattern that I picked up last year with some cute beading that might look good on that color. My creativity is being fed by the possibilities.

My Flowers

My daylilies are really starting to pop now. I love how I have something in bloom almost all the year in the yard. That took a lot of years to put together, but I am reaping the rewards now. Summer only really has my potted plants blooming, but my goodness in summer everything is green and lush.

Alabama Jubilee


Fly season is upon us in Florida...not that they ever really go away, but something about May brings them in with a new gusto. You can't leave anything food related stuff out even for a second. I have to hit up my sinks with Clorox for the drains. It is probably one of my least favorite things.

Don't even think about cracking the door. Enter and exit quickly. HA!

I got rid of most of my houseplants last year about this time. It was a big step, but one that has proven to be just what I needed. When do you have too many plants? When they become too much to care for. 

I downsized potted plants outside as well and have found it all to be much more enjoyable and enough for this gardener but not so much that it is a burden.


Life this Week

It was a slower week than most in things outside the home which meant I got a good bit done, but eventful nonetheless with incoming phone calls.

My toe surgery is scheduled for June 6. Yes, I dread it!!! More so, because I don't think I am going to like not being able to put weight on that foot for 4 weeks. That is going to be very tough on me. I am going to share a photo at the end and will give you a warning that it might be just too much to look at. I am doing so because in all my research I have seen every kind of toe deformity imaginable, but not very many like mine. I have had it for at least 10 years and it has gotten worse with time. It is very difficult to tape at this point. I tried to strap it and tape it and it hurts like the dickens after about an hour, so I guess it is time to try and repair the tendons. I actually went to a doctor about 8 years ago and he said it would come back, but this podiatrist swears if it is done right it will remain in place.

I think it is combination of rheumatoid arthritis and injuries from jogging. I always struggle to call myself a one time runner because I am not winning any contests for sure. Once upon a time I did jog and really liked it. I did all the 5K races around the area. Never got less than 30.5 minutes ( I could never break 30 minutes) so as you can see I am not a real runner, but for the non athlete here I was proud of those times.

All is about the same here, but Jeff did schedule an appointment with a knee doctor. The one he used to see has retired. We shall see how that goes. All the things of aging I suppose.


That is it for me. Until next time.
I will scroll down and add the toe picture so if you don't want to see it...goodbye.
Sandy









The surgery will be on the left toe, but as you can see this is going to eventually have to be done on the right. Pooh!!!






 

21 comments:

  1. Oh, goodness! Your poor toes! I will be praying for you for surgery day! I know that recovery will be tough, but I think the end results will be worth it. Your dolphin piece is absolutely exquisite! So much detail! It's beautiful, and I love the colors. The daylily's are so pretty, too. My mama has a bunch in her yard, which were grown by my great-aunt many, many years ago and then transplanted to Mama's house. We love to watch the different colors as they bloom.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I honestly love watching the daylilies and all the different colors come up. I think they are more fun than my roses.

      Delete
  2. That’s a mighty fancy dolphin and I love it! Bless your heart and your toe in the most sincere and caring way! I have rheumatoid and we have to take extra good care of ourselves so we can keep going! Treatments are so much better now than they used to be. I’m sure you’ll be so glad when this is over and you can skip down the street again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The toe thing has certainly limited my shoe selection. In order to still be somewhat cute, I have a variety of Sperry tennies in multiple colors. :)

      Delete
  3. Oh I know you will be glad to get the foot surgery done and get some relief. Maybe the hot part of the year will be the best time to be inside. I know the deer flies attacked me this week. I slapped my arm to hard, I left a mark! haha! I LOVE that dolphin! How gorgeous with those soft colors!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I suppose the flies never leave but something about this time of year makes them extra active. Thanks..I do love the dolphin.

      Delete
  4. Oh, I do love that dolphin! He has a lot of personality! And whale does too! Love your day lilies! I used to have them in our Salt Springs house, but after a couple of years they never came back up. I don't do a great job of maintaining any garden for long. I hope I can keep this beautiful new rosebush growing that Rose gave me for Mother's Day. Oh, bless your heart about your toes! I can't imagine how you are able to walk on them? I am dealing with a problem with my big toe, which is from a toenail fungus issue I think and the toenail really needs to come off. I may have to go to the doctor, but I keep putting it off. It's sad how much we endure when if we would just get it taken care of we'd feel much better faster! I will be praying for you as you go through this surgery. I don't know how you manage to keep up with everything you do for your grandchildren,mother, hubby,etc. God is giving you amazing grace and strength. (((hugs)))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jeff had to have big toenail removed too. All of this stuff is just not fun. His is ok. He actually has his last visit on that this next week. He had to take an antibiotic and put some cream on it for a couple of weeks.
      I will tell you, Pam, that the Lord has been gracious to me in all of this craziness lately. I spend a lot of time thanking Him for my blessings and I stay in His word and He has kept me afloat.

      Delete
  5. Oh, your poor feet!! I just went through hammertoe surgery on two toes. They were affecting my balance and I imagine yours might do the same for you. Keep us posted!! Prayers being lifted. I love your whale and dolphin!! Lovely flowers and good for you purging the plants, inside and out. Purging feels like freedom to me!! Well done!! Sending a hug!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know, my balance is good still but they are starting to hurt and the overlapping sometimes causes blisters, so I know it is not going to get better. It has progressively gotten worse, so I think it is time to address it before I am older. I surprised myself when I got rid of all the houseplants. I thought I would be oh so sad, but the truth is it felt like a huge burden lifted. I am enjoying the reasonable amount I have now much more.

      Delete
  6. Both the dolphin and whale are amazing, and the colors are lovely.
    Praying for your toe surgery. Fully understand, especially the shoe part. After almost 30 years of RA and 5 toe surgeries, there are no more sandals in my future. Just thankful for surgeries that help!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh I passed on the cute shoes to my daughter ages ago. I wear a lot of wide toe box athletic shoes for daily wear and Sperry tennis shoes for cute days. Hoping this will work and maybe I can do the other one later.

      Delete
  7. Those pillows are adorable. And the sandpipers are just perfect. Bless your heart...glad you are getting this done. A friend of mine had something like that done. She was glad she took care of it and you will be happy once everything has healed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am dreading it but it is definitely time to take care of it. It has gotten so much worse.

      Delete
  8. I love the dolphin piece, Sandy. Thanks for sharing the resting places for the sandpipers and Valerie's piece! Glad your toe surgery has been scheduled! I will be praying for you. Have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love how your dolphin pillow turned out, Sandy--what a nice pair you have now. And the sandpipers are perfect in the bathroom. It's probably not used a lot so you don't have to worry about moisture and cross stitch. Yikes on the flies! I would freak out! We came back from vacation one year to find hundreds of flies in our home--both dead and alive. Apparently, a mouse had died in our basement trap and a fly laid eggs and, well, you know the rest. Just disgusting--I felt like I was living in an episode of the Twilight Zone :( Wishing you success in your toe surgery, Sandy--that does look like a painful condition. I have bunions, but they don't bother me--just make me unable to wear certain strappy sandals. Praying for a complete recovery with minimal pain on the 6th. Take care now and have a wonderful weekend! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Sandy: I Pray your surgery goes well, I have watched a show on tv it showed surgeries like you are having and great results, love the Dolphine finish, the fabric color is beautiful , they both look so great together.
    The Sandpipers are in lovely, you choose lovely designs to stitch.
    I am so loving the paint color on the wall in Valeries bedroom, the design you stitched looks perfect for that wall.
    I have only one inside plant it is a vine I love it.


    Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  11. My goodness! That does look uncomfortable! But since you can't put weight on it for weeks afterward, you should get a lot of stitching done! The fish stitches are very pretty and so interesting with all the different variations of color. You have beautiful taste in the patterns you choose.

    But back to the toe surgery, I have put your surgery on my calendar so I'll remember to pray for you. I'm sorry you have to go through that (and eventually on the other foot, too), but it does look like the time has come to get it taken care of.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Beautiful work, Sandy! I would never have tackled patterns like the dolphin and whale, but they did turn out pretty and the color combinations are gorgeous.

    Your poor toes! They look terribly uncomfortable. Will be praying for your surgery!

    ReplyDelete
  13. The dolphin stitch is so pretty, as is the whale. I love the designs in both. Those pillows are a pretty way to finish those stitches off. And Valerie's stitched name looks perfect in her room!

    I'm so sorry you're needing surgery on your toes. But I'm glad there is surgery that can help with such things.

    ReplyDelete

I am so glad you stopped by my little blog. Drop in again anytime.
Sincerely,
Sandy