How was your weekend?

I can't believe it is Monday already. The weekend went by so quickly. Too quickly.

I did manage to get some stitching in. And I have actually finished the stitching on both my exchange pieces! Now to finish them off so I can get them in the mail before the deadline which is this Saturday. I know, I know, nothing like waiting until the last minute. (Sigh.)

Of course I had good intentions of starting the two pieces while I was on vacation. Now I realize that was not very realistic. I'll know better next year. I hope. I so enjoy exchanges. Getting stitched things from someone who stitched it just for you. And stitching something for someone else. I think I enjoy choosing the right pattern more than the stitching itself.

Speaking of exchanges I received my ornament from the BBI yahoo group Christmas in July ornament swap. Mine came from Charlene in SC. Isn't it beautiful? I love it. Thank you very much Charlene for this. It is perfect and I can't wait to hang it on my tree. Now this exchange was a secret and, no, Charlene is not my partner. I won't say who since I haven't mailed her ornament yet. Soon.

And I found another exchange to join! This one is a Little House Needleworks design exchange. One of my absolute favorite designers!! I can't wait. If you would like to participate the blog is located here (LHN Exchange Group) and if I read it right you have until tomorrow (Tuesday the 28th--my niece's birthday! Happy Birthday Val!) to sign up.

As you can see Rory is getting bigger. He is up to 40 pounds already. Our handling class went well last week. He stands very well. The moving part is another story. Rory wants to bounce, jump and run instead of the nice pacing at my side. We have worked on it all week and we'll see if there is any improvement tomorrow night. He is doing well in basic obedience as well. Though we still have to work on his pulling on leash and his tendency of jumping on people.

So I'll leave you all with an amusing Rory tale. This past Friday morning I ended up chasing him around the backyard to take away the dead mouse he found. Yuck! I did and of course he really wanted it back. Not happening. As I am trying to hold the dead thing by the tippy tip of its dead tail Rory is jumping higher and higher to try and reach it. All this just minutes before I had to leave to catch my train to work. Needless to say the adrenaline was pumping Friday morning. :) Then this am was another new one. I was getting my lunch together and heard a thump behind me. I turn and there is Rory on TOP of the kitchen table!! (The thump was a book falling off.) I guess he figured that Rosie (the cat) is allowed up there so he must be too. NOT. I guess we will have to work on that one as well.

So until next time...........................

Love and stitches,

Kathy

and licks from Rory too

Stitching and catching up

Sunrise on the beach

Some of the Kiley gathering at Outer Banks, NC

Catching up? Ha! I wish. I have been trying but 11 days without a computer during my vacation and then 3 days (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) of being home where I seem to have less time to spend online have made me fall so far behind reading everyone's blogs. And after all the lovely comments you all leave for me I feel awful that I haven't gotten to your blog yet. I will. Sooner or later. I will.

Now for some stitching news. I have been neglectful in letting you all see the gorgeous biscornu that I received as my giveaway prize from Lynn. It is really adorable and the card she made is just too pretty. I love the little ribbon flowers. It arrived just before I left for vacation. But without a computer I wasn't able to post it.

Thank you so very much Lynn. The biscornu is beautiful and I LOVE it!





I have been getting a little stitching done this past week. But two of the things I have been working on are for exchanges so no photos. I do have one with the little bit of progress that I've made on my BBD, Awake the Dawning Day. At this rate I might get it finished by Christmas! (Sigh.)

I also managed to scan some more of the photos from my vacation. Including a couple of my Rory. He is getting so big. Don't you wish they could stay little forever? I am hoping to start his handling classes this Tuesday. My knee is pretty much healed and I can kneel on it so it's time. I am hoping to show him. And since I haven't done any myself in a long long time we both need the classes before he is ready to start showing. And that will be soon. He's four months old now and I can start showing him at six months.

Watching sunrise from the top of the dunes.

Now back to work and catching up on all the finishes and starts in the stitchy blogging world.

Until next time.........................

Love and stitches

Kathy

and licks from Rory too

Back from Vacation

The view from the top deck of our beach house.

And it was wonderful. It was the first away-from-home vacation for me in a long, long time. What made it fabulous was being able to take my Rory with me and seeing so many of my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, in-laws and a couple soon-to-be in-laws in a happy setting. We shared laughs and drinks and long walks on the beach. Sunburns (even with sunblock!) and watching sunsets from the deck of the beach house. There must have about 30 of us staying at the beach. (I gave up counting heads after 20!)

Above: Captain and Rory

After digging for sand crabs

Rory had the best time of all. Playing with two of his four-footed cousins, Zuzu and Captain. And every walk on the beach took triple the normal time with all the people he had to stop and be petted by. He just adored the attention. Many others who stay in the other beach houses also brought their dogs. More playmates for Rory. Romping in the sand and getting knocked over by the ocean waves. That part he didn't care for so he kept his distance after that episode. But he loved pointing and trying to chase the seagulls and the kites.

Zuzu and Rory on the beach

One of the highlights of the week was getting to meet Carolyn B from NC. Carolyn and I have known each other a while now from the online yahoo groups we belong to and our blogs. When she found out I was going to be in North Carolina for vacation she suggested that we meet face to face. That sounded great to me. But I knew she lived a bit of a distance from where I was going to be staying. But that didn't stop her from driving close to four hours just to meet me and, of course, Rory! (Or is it the other way around? LOL) Well, it was like we had known each other for years. When she called to tell me she was almost there and needed the last turn to find the house I said to her, "I'll be out front." She answered with okay. Now it didn't hit me until later that she doesn't know what I look like!! But neither of us even realized and just figured we would know each other on sight! Good thing I had Rory with me or she might still be driving around looking. LOL We spent a lovely afternoon chatting away, admiring Rory (he is so spoiled now!) and finally having lunch before she had to head home.

I only have a few photos at the moment. My digital camera wasn't working and I still have to develop the film. I hope that by the weekend I will have more to show you.

A few members of the Kiley clan

Stitching? Oh, yeah. I think I was able to spend about an hour stitching. Not much progress to show of anything. I did get a small fob finished that I gifted to Carolyn. But that was it. Now that I'm home and recovered, trying to get back into a schedule I should have more stitching to show the next time.

Now to go see all the wonderful stitching everyone else has done in the last week and get inspired.

Until next time...................
Love and stitches,

Kathy

and licks from Rory too.

Vacation time.

In just a few hours Rory and I are off to spend a week at the beach. This is the first vacation I have had in a long, long while. And I am really looking forward to it. I am all packed and just need to catch a few hours sleep. We are driving down to the Outer Banks in North Carolina.

I'll take lots of photos. See you all soon. Have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July. And a fabulous week!
Until next time ............
Love and stitches
Kathy
and licks from Rory too.

We have a Winner!!!!!!!!

First I want to thank everyone who left a comment and entered my surprise giveaway. I am overwhemed with the number of people who did so. Over 90 of you!!! And I lost count of those who also posted my giveaway on their blog. I feel truely blessed with all the lovely and kind words you leave. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I only wish I had enough stash to send everyone something. I am sorry if I (well, actually it was Rory) didn't choose you. But I am sure I'll be having more in the future.

Now the news you've been waiting for. Rory took his time sniffing through all those slips of paper.

Then he found one.

And the winner is.................................

Patti, would you please email me at katkiley at aol.com with your address. Congratulaions!

Oh, Rory actually pulled two slips of paper out of the bowl. And even though he didn't try to chew the second slip I am going to send something to that person also. Marl, you are the second place winner!!!

Now to finish my chores and put my knee up and stitch. Or maybe a nap.

Until next time.........

Love, stitches and licks,

Kathy

and Rory too

Don't forget

Tomorrow is the deadline for signing up for my surprise giveaway! Just go to the June 5th entry and leave a comment. Sign ups close at 6PM EST.

Love, stitches and licks,

Kathy
and Rory, too.

A finish, a gift and other things.

Oh boy what a week this has been.

First I found out that I won the giveaway of La-D-Da's Lauren's Voice on Sherry's blog. Then I won BBD's Rite of Spring from Karen's giveaway. And last but certainly not least I won an adorable Ladybird biscornu from Lynn's blog giveaway. I rarely win anything and then to win three in a row! They say things happen in three's. So I guess I won't be winning anything else for a while.

But wait, that was my winnings. I also received a package from one of the dearest friends a girl can have. My birthday present from Deborah. I am speechless and in awe of the gift she made me. The stitching is flawless and so beautiful. The pattern she stitched brought tears to my eyes. (When I had time to really sit and look at it.) And the finishing idea is so perfect. Heck, the other goodies in the box pale in comparison too the stitched gift.

Oh you want to know what it is? Deborah stitched a memorial piece in a Quaker style to my Mother. And it is attached to the cover of a gorgeous photo album. What made this even more perfect is that after Mom passed my brothers, sisters and I went through my albums to create some photo collages for the wake. Now they are on flimsy photo boards and I stuck them in a corner after the funeral. I had noticed the photos slipping and that I really should either find some kind of frame for them or take them out. Well, now I can and I have the perfect place to put them.

Deborah, my dear, dear friend, there are no words to tell you how much your gift means. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Didn't she do an exquisite job? (For those that don't know Deborah she has come such a long way both in her stitching and in her health. When I first met her almost four years ago she was lucky if she would finish on small piece over a years time on 14 ct aida. This piece that she did for me in over one on 25 ct! And her third or fourth finish for the year! You go girlfriend!!)

Then I received another birthday gift from Heidi. Wednesday's mail brought the cutest scissor fob and a darling pair of stork scissors. The fob is so pretty. Thank you Heidi.

And the week wasn't over. I also have a finish!! Wooooo Hoooooooo. I finally finished LHN's Home of a Needleworker too. Stitched on recommended fabric using the recommended floss.

I have a mat and a frame for it and had hoped to get it done yesterday but all my supplies are downstairs and, well, I had a little mishap yesterday morning. I slipped or something and ended up falling down the stairs (only two but a stair is a stair) and I kind of messed up my knee. It's always something.

So instead I tried to stay off my knee for most of the day yesterday and got a bit of stitching done. Poor Rory missed his long walk yesterday. But he was a good boy and didn't make me get up too many times.

Here a photo of the piece I worked on yesterday.

And a progress update of my BBD piece, Awake the Dawning Day. Now that Home of a Needleworker is done I'll concentrate on this one. Who knows maybe I'll get this finished this week. Ya think?

Don't forget my giveaway. Details and where to leave a comment are here. (Click on the word here to take you to the right posting.) A hint of one of the items. Purple. :)

Until next time.................

Love, stitches and licks,

Kathy

and Rory, too