Finally I can tell!

I can finally "let the cat out of the bag" of what I have been working on the past few months. Instead of "self-publishing" I have chosen to go to work for the most awesome people and company. ThreadworX, Inc. Now, I get to do all the things I love wrapped up into one place too.

One of my first challenges was to come up with a newsletter for ThreadworX and it is not just you ordinary newsletter. There is a cross stitch edition coming out at Nashville. After that the needlepoint/cross stitch version will be combined.

I've also been designing and the "bird of the month" series and the needlepoint version was a hit at TNNA. It uses ThreadworX specialty threads and floss, perle... the cross stitch version will be in kit form available in Mid- February. The photo here doesn't show the detail being so small, but, hopefully you get gist of

ow fun tis series will be to stitch and display.

I've more, but I'll save it for another day. If you would like a copy of the newsletter (filled with articles and projects) visit:

www.threadworx.typepad.com

Happy Christmas

Prep and Landing

Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved

Because we have no family in town and this year my oldest is coming home from Austin, we won't be travelling another 8 hours up to Ohio to visit family, so, it will be a serene Christmas. I love our church on Christmas Eve and with always travelling to family we have not had the blessing of worshipping there often on Christmas Eve. How lovely it will be.

I have been working hard on stitching. Non stop as a matter-of-fact. Most are gifts, so I can't post the photos just yet. The other stitching has been for work-which will release at the Long Beach show in the ThreadworX booth. It will also be at the Nashville SHow in February.

Oh, one more thing. If you have not seen the new Christmas Disney special "Prep and Landing" you must. It is the first Christmas special in a very long time that is wonderful. It has the Toy Story type humor, a lot of good lessons and the focus is not "how Santa came to be".

If you have boys they will love it too!

You can watch it online here:http://www.hulu.com/watch/113712/disney-prep-and-landing-prep-and-landing

A tradition

One of the traditions that always brought the Christmas season into full swing at our house was the long visits to the book store looking through all the Children's Christmas books with the boys. It was such a joy for all of us. Now they are 16 and 19. Even though they get a new book each year for Christmas, we don't have the opportunity to sit for the day at a bookstore smelling the ink of the book as we look at each illustration closely for every detail. Lovely memories. Now, when they are home for Christmas we will look at the books
we bought so many years ago and get to recall those moments, and thank God for them.

It's funny I had mentioned in my previous post the blessing of being around with cancer and all. The next day I had emergency surgery for my appendix. 3 AM surgery. I had to have three incisions due to my previous surgeries and the pain is quite bad compared to what I remember my last surgery being. I also had a bad infection and a few other things going on-- Now all gone. I was thinking while waiting to go into surgery --"all these years I have fought cancer, surely, I would not be taken from appendix..." And then my next thought was, "No, I won't. God gave me the sense to get myself to the ER tonight." So, after four days in the hospital, I am home. It will be a longer than thought recovery and that's okay. Tomorrow I write thank you notes to my nurses and docs. When I hear how many times their beeper goes off in all the rooms they cover I realize it's them who need the flower gifts-

Thanksgiving, Christmas

The holidays are fast approaching and I am not prepared. when I say I am not prepared, I mean mentally/emotionally... my heart. Maybe because of the weather being in the 70's now, but, well that happens every year here. One day 75 the next 45. No, it's something else.

It's the "stage" of my life. 1. no young children, no young nieces or nephews . All the kids are of high school age or older now and yet they are not in the "new family, grandchildren for me" stage yet. Peter at college has seemed to add to my unprepared heart. He added an incredible amount of life and love in the house on a daily basis. He lived loudly. The house is no longer filled quite with the energy or anticipation that he brought to our days. I am so grateful and thankful Peter has followed his Calling. When done so, life is so much more peaceful.

I am also not a big "decorator" for Christmas anymore. With the kids older, simplicity works. Oh, I still do a tree, my nativities and lights. In and outside. (No, not Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation lights) I have always LOVED lights.

Besides what they represent for our family - Jesus the "Light of the World"-- they bring color, twinkle and joy to the house. If I only put up strings of lights around our entry ways inside and nothing else the house would shine for Him and us.

A positive of this stage in life-- no Christmas Eve all nighters... and have made it this far

to be a part of my children's lives. As of this year I have had cancer for 10 years. A surgery a year (minimum) and constant "treatment" and I am still here.

So, on this Thanksgiving I will remind myself how thankful I am for all the adversity that has happened in life to bring me here to this point. I have been not only able to be here for my children(even if cancer is "managed") I have been able to look back and at them now to see how God used me and our situations to strengthen them for what lies ahead in their lives.

A new needle art publication!

I recently found out that Threadworx is coming out in January with their own FREE publication(and I get to be involved with it) that is like a cross between a newsletter and a magazine. For those of you who do not know, Threadworx is a fiber company (formerly Needle Necessities) and has been around longer than any other over dyed thread co. out there-- @30 years. (except maybe Caron Collection)

I love the Threadworx palette and the overdyed metallics. They are beautiful. Of course the publication will highlight their products (as it should) but, it will also have free stitch designs/projects of different types as well as articles. It sounds like it is not a typical magazine or a typical newsletter. You can sign up at:

www.threadworx.typepad.com to receive it.

More on letting go

I had a lengthy conversation with my dear friend, Jackie. Her family owns for a bit longer the Saturn dealerships in Missouri. She is
working hard to keep from being bitter with all that has happened with Gm being taken over by government chosen people and how they are literally taking their business her family worked so hard for right out from under them and giving their customers to chevy dealers. My other friend who works for Pfizer finds out in a month whether they completely shut down the St. Louis facilities and my family has once again been told husband's job is on the line.

It's situations like the above when grabbing on tight rather than letting go and giving it to God is so very difficult for many. For myself, I am great at letting go of the big stuff and giving it to Him,however, it's the small daily things I grab so tight to-- I am not sure if it is for a hope for some normality in life or consistency or if it's because I think I can control the little things with ease. But I can't. When I try things go completely bonkers and become "off". This is where my stitching has come into play in my life. Whether it is in the doctor's office while waiting, in the evening at home, or even during a sunny afternoon on the deck, taking time to stitch and listening to and for God brings me back to the center. If only for a day only to try again. The birds chirping or even the stillness of the day becomes very loud as I become quiet and methodical with each stitch. If the stitching becomes work and my mind begins to get distracted from listening I know my stitching session needs to end.

Thank you, LIsa for your comment yesterday. It is always so comforting to know others are out there going through the process at some level.

I have posted a piece I worked on that began as a project from Needlepoint Now, but ended up redesigned with experimental fiber use, and a modified size. I haven't taken a picture of the finished stitch piece yet. I'll have to do that soon. I figure I have 11 months to "finish" it as a pillow or aopen cube for treats...