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!!!