Happy Mother's Day

Nannie (98yrs old, my Mom's Mother), Franciene (my mom)
and Aunt Pat (moms friend since junior high school)

We all had a beautiful Mother's Day Weekend. Lots of company for my Mom - Franciene:)
Aunt Pat came from Orange County California to visit mom and me:)) I've know Aunt Pat well I should say she's known me all my life. Story she just told me (mom confirmed) that Pat dated my dad during one week and told mom she had met a boy that was not for her. Later the that same week, my mom dated my dad and told Pat that she had met the boy for her. And neither one of them didn't know who it was that the other had dated. True story. My mom did marry my dad.

Now can you see the Card my mom is holding up. She received it from New Zealand. The needlework was all stitched by our precious friend Lee (Notes from under the Mountain blog). It's so spectacular I don't even know how to describe it, but it looks holographic. It's all done in the color copper, and the fabric background is hunter green silk. It's SUPER GORGEOUS!


Well Aunt Pat was so mesmerized by it, that evening when she left us, she went straight to Jo Ann's fabric store.

This is what she presented to me and my sister Nicole. Today on Mother's day. She bought supplies for all 3 of us, Yes including herself (Aunt Pat), brown silk fabric, 2 shades of gold sheer ribbons, DMC gold metallic thread, and this pretty gold iridescent sheer fabric. Our project is to stitch something resembling the card Lee sent us. Not to make it exact (as if I could....), but to create puffy butterflies and cutwork (using the ribbons) and stitch around them. Oh suuuure Aunt Pat. Nicole and I looked at each other and said "OH Okay!", with our eyes as huge as saucers. So we will see what we create in the next 2 weeks. I 'm giving us 2 weeks because normally we could get done faster (in my dreams) but with caring for mom, we give ourselves more leeway. Thank you so very much Lee for all your thoughtfulness, generosity, and for being the beautiful person you are. You make my mom feel very honored, cherished and loved. We are very blessed to have you in our lives. Now Lee has sent my mom some other cards that I have not been able to photo or post about yet. What can I say Lee is an Angel sent to us direct from Heaven and we love her. ((Hugs)) to you Lee from Mom and Me:)) Thank you to all my blog friends for all your well wishes and prayers...You are greatly appreciated and cherished Love Annette

Mother's Day May 12, 2012
Nannie, my mom and me -
Annette in California

Gorgeous Flat Fold for Me!

See the beautiful colors and sheen of threads.. Friday this lovely flat fold came to me in the mail from Chris. Chris had me as her EMS exchange partner and she's from USA Arizona.
I love the motifs and the verse. Chris I'm amazed and impressed how all the colors of threads compliments the fabric. The delicate lace trim outlines the sampler perfectly. I've not seen this design before but I sure love it.
This is beautifully made & finished. I absolutely love my treasured sampler. Chris thank you very much for all the work you put into this project. It will be treasured and admired always. I greatly appreciate it. I feel so lucky to have received this from you.
My time these days have been greatly spent caring and visiting with my mom. She was hospitalized from last Saturday - Tuesday. Her sugar levels were in the 400's (from chemo) and she needed a blood transfusion. We know now that her levels of sugar will not be stable. We have to treat each number individually. This means checking her blood every 2 hours after she eats. The most challenging part is her levels have been dropping in the night. So that means every few hours we are checking it again. Yes my sister and I are taking turns but we sleep when we can. Right now mom is feeling better because we are consistently on it.
I wish everyone a blessed and great week. With love and appreciation Annette - California

Wild Garden & Mom's results

Hello Friends! Yes I've been extremely busy caring for mom the last few weeks. I'll explain but first while we were waiting for my moms results, I did finish a project. This was for an exchange and the person I made this for has received it. So now I can share.

"Wild Garden" by Blackbird Designs
28ct Lambswool Linen
DMC threads &
fabric is Blackbird Designs by Moda

We were to make a finish using a flat fold method here. I had not made one of these before. I was very pleased how it turned out. This kit I purchased came with over-dyed threads, but I selected DMC colors for this project. I do enjoy stitching Blackbird Designs.

Okay (this has been very hard). Mom's results - yes she has cancer. We were told it has spread to her pancreas, liver and in her blood, stage 4. So yes that was a shock to mom, me and my sister. Mom as of right now is doing chemo. She is doing good. She is catching up on much deprived sleep, now has pain meds and this does help her. It has been an emotional roller coaster ride for all of us except mom. Mom has the best attitude ever and her belief in God just as strong. Even as I tried to write this post - I have been at her side 3 nop now 5 times so far. My sister and I are taking turns helping her. So we have to stay well and get rest to be able to do what we have to do. After talking to friends and family, miracles happen every day. And truly mom is doing pretty good. I have just summed up to you probably 25 pages worth of stuff that we have been doing, so many calls, appts, tests, more tests, and prescriptions etc.... I again want to thank you for your prayers. Please do keep praying for my mom. I will tell you that your prayers have literately kept me going. Oh the tears, then more tears then laughter. Its been surreal. I have remembered to "give it to God", but I do my best. I have also been guided by sweet precious Lee, in so many ways. One Lee reminded me to try to pick up my needle and try to place a few stitches each day. Well that suggestion has lead me to calmness and feeling the rhythm of my needle - soothing. Tears or no tears. Stitching is very great therapy for me.

White Iris on our hill

Thank you for visiting me. Your comments are very appreciated and I love reading them. Have a truly blessed and happy day. With love and appreciation Annette - California

Happy Birthday Mommy

Today is my mom's birthday. 70 yrs young:) For my April cottage I made an addition.
I stitched a tribute to my mom including her name and initials. I also had stitched her birthday but not the year. When I showed her she said " I want you to add the year I was born. I'm not Nannie". Her mom, my grandmother, is 98yrs old. Yes still going strong. My Nannie does not like to talk about her age. She says "You are as young as you feel. I feel young." God bless her.
So I added my mom's year of birth. I did not use any alphabet chart for this, I just made it up as I was stitching - from my heart.
So today my mom woke up to her brand new chocolate brown recliner chair from us ( a Lazy- Boy brand). I got it last evening and she loves it. But today (her birthday) was the first morning she woke up to it. A yellow banner also welcomed this morning her saying "Happy Birthday", breakfast form Mac Donald's (I want her eat so I get her whatever sounds good to her). She does not want any cake, so I just got back from a local bakery and brought her her favorite raisin snail. And today is her best friends birthday - DeeDee. So I delivered to her door a box of her favorite "Brownie Cookies" & a vanilla cupcake from the same bakery.
Tomorrow we find out mom's results. We are all still feeling a special peacefulness. I know this is directly from all your precious prayers. Always with Love and Appreciation - Annette of California

Happy Easter to you

Latest Blooms:

Iris

Star Jasmine
Smells divine

Wishing everyone a lovely holiday......Annette - California

Thank You & Ann Dale Sampler

From My Heart, I want to thank you for all your prayers for my mom. I shared with my mom all your words of encouragement and prayers. Let me share what we experienced. A peacefulness blanketed over us. Only way I know how to describe it. But most importantly my mom felt VERY CALM. She was still calm yesterday morning when she had her biopsy. That's a miracle. I am eternally grateful for the Power of Prayer. Your prayers are what gave us strength. Thank You so very much. I am so so so very grateful & appreciative to you. It meant very much to us all.
Now we wait for the results. It takes a week. I will share the results with you when we find out.

This is my WIP for 2012:

Ann Dale by Shakespeare's Peddler
40ct Vintage Pear Lakeside Linens
stitch ct 402 by 531
Silk threads: Needlepoint Silks, Gloriana &
Crescent Colors Belle Soie

I started this sampler January 25, 2012. On Theresa's blog (chart designer) there were some chart corrections. At least three. I emailed her with the information she requested, where we bought the chart and my address. She mailed me the corrections. One of the corrections is at the very top - cranberry row of the border. I had gotten pretty far, but last week I removed it. I do want the wave to go in the correct direction. This is my very first time stitching on 40 ct and stitching with silk threads. I love them both. At first my eyes had to adjust to the smaller count. And still do every time I go back it working on it. The silk thread just glides right thru the fabric. Just wonderful. Very easy to get those pesty knots out. This is a huge sampler. These are my colors alright, love them. I ironed the fabric just for you:)

Again Thank you for your prayers - With Love and Appreciation Annette - California

Asking for your Prayers!

We just found out last night that my mom (I call her Mommy) Franciene, has a mass on her pancreas. She is scheduled for a biopsy this Thursday morning. I am praying that it is not cancerous and can be easily treated. I do believe in the power of Prayer.

So I am asking you if could please say a prayer for her. My mom's birthday is April 12th she will be 70yrs old. We do not have a lot of family but are blessed with friends. I am reaching out to you for my mom. I love her so very much. She is a beautiful lady and has been always there for me. We've all been very upset & scared. I keep telling myself to stay strong..and I have been in front of her. But I do need your help, I need your prayers asking that this mass is not cancerous and can be easily treated.

Thank you for kindness and for reading this.
With much Love and Gratefulness,
Annette in California