The highs and lows of June

The second day of the second half of 2024... How did that happen? It seems as if just yesterday I was putting away my Christmas decorations. July, here in the United States, is filled with flags, fireworks, family, fabulous foods, and fun all celebrating the most important thing: freedom! I know my July is going to be very busy with three trips down to the Washington, DC area to help care for my grandson for a few days (first time he'll be away from mommy and daddy overnight--wish me luck!), celebrating three family birthdays, and helping out with my grandson as my oldest son recovers from surgery at the end of the month. Busy, busy, busy... I doubt there will be much stitching done this month, but that's okay. The family memories we'll make together are much more important. 

I did manage to get two new things finished up in June. I have a brand new patriotic piece called "Americana Sampler" (by Plum Pudding NeedleArt). This pretty chart was given to me by my Instagram friend, Trinka, last year. It is stitched on 40 ct. woodland brown Newcastle using the suggested colors except for the green and red which I changed to  GAST "Schoolhouse Red" and Classic Colorworks "Pine Needle."

"Americana Sampler" by Plum Pudding NeedleArt

I went back and forth on how to finish this piece, but eventually decided on simply framing it. I did add a trio of red, white, and blue star buttons to the very top. The frame was one I had purchased from Goodwill years ago and I thought the vintage look of it meshed well with the old-timey look of the woman's garb.

A wonderful new addition to my patriotic decor

Below is a closer look at the pretty detailing on the frame...

I especially love the red, white, and blue bunting!

Of course, my other finish is my latest Christmas ornament for the month of June for the #12in24ornamentstitchalong that I host over on Instagram. Isn't it a cutie? This is "Santa, Please Bring Me" by Homespun Elegance. I purchased the chart way back in 2008 when it was first released, but, for some reason, hadn't yet stitched it. I struggled stitching this on 28 ct. country mocha Cashel linen with two threads. I just hate stitching with more than one thread, but in this case, the scissors charm would have been too large if I had stitched him on my normal 40 ct. linen. Santa's beard and the trim on his coat were supposed to be done with Rainbow Gallery Wisper  thread for a fluffy appearance. But I just didn't want to struggle with it (stitching is supposed to be relaxing after all!) or purchase it. I substituted good old ecru DMC for the beard and DMC 3862 for the trim on the coat and think it looks just fine. I also changed the color of his bag to DMC 844 and added little red berries to the tree. The bottom border was changed to a simple green (WDW Blue Spruce) and ecru.

"Santa, Please Bring Me" by Homespun Elegance

 

I finished this Santa into a simple pillow with handmade cording and two tiny spools of DMC 221 attached on the ends. The scissor's charm came with the chart and I added a wee gold star to the top of the tree. I also omitted the date as I don't like to date my ornaments. What do you think? I think that the very last item on Santa's list is something we could all use more of, don't you? Even though I'm retired now, there still don't seem to be enough hours in the day to stitch as much (and as many!) things as I'd like. How about you?

I'll take everything on this Christmas list, please!

Giveaway time... I always like to pass on charts that have been given to me, so how about a little giveaway? Would you like to stitch the Americana Sampler by Plum Pudding NeedleArt? This is a pdf chart (already printed off) that I will send to one lucky winner who follows the guidelines below: 

If you would like to win the giveaway for this chart, please follow the guidelines below:

To be included in the drawing for the Plum Pudding NeedleArt chart shown above, please...

1) Specifically mention that you would like to win it in your comment 

2) Be a follower of Stitching Dreams (in my blog's sidebar on the right)

3) Make sure to leave your email address in your comment if I don't already have it

4) Answer the "Getting to Know You" question below.

Getting to know you...  For this month's "Getting to Know You" question, I'd love to know where you purchase your cross stitch materials. Are you one of those lucky ones who has a convenient local needlework shop? Or are you like me--you live in a barren desert when it comes to cross stitch shops. Sadly, I have to order everything from charts to threads to fabric online. It's especially hard to determine exact fabric and floss colors by viewing them on a computer screen, isn't it? I usually purchase my things through 123 Stitch or from various Etsy shops. In the good old days, there used to be at least three cross stitch shops nearby, but now the nearest one is almost 1 1/2 hours driving distance. I hope all of you who have access to a local shop know just how lucky you are! Let me know what your cross stitch buying options are... I'll post the winner of the "Americana Sampler" chart next time I blog, so stay tuned. However, if you're really in a hurry to stitch this sweet sampler, there is a sale on it on Etsy right here!

One of the best parts of summer for me is the wonderful fresh fruits that are in season. We ended up with a huge amount of peaches from The Peach Truck this year. The fruit in the first delivery (three weeks ago) wasn't up to their standards, so they promised to give everyone who ordered a free second box of peaches--in other words, 25 pounds for the price of 12! Here they are ripening in my sunroom and just waiting to be made into some delectable breads, desserts, and of course, just eaten plain. I've already made one batch of my favorite peach cobbler recipe and I know more are in my future. I posted this link before, but for any new readers, here is where to find Iva's Peach Cobbler recipe. YUM!

Our entire sunroom smelled like fresh peaches!

And then there are the blueberries. Our bushes have been producing a bumper crop this year. Unfortunately, the berries that weren't fully under netting were quickly devoured by the birds. We went to my son's community garden two weeks ago and picked even more! They're so easy to freeze and use all winter long. I quickly whipped up a new-to-me recipe for Blueberry Pie Bars from Sally's Baking Addiction. Will definitely be making them again (although I may use less lemon as my husband thought it was a bit much). 

Blueberry Pie Bars with freshly picked blueberries

An unwanted visitor... Unfortunately, when I went blueberry picking at my son's community garden, I picked up a very unwelcome hitchhiker! A few days later, I felt a little bump on my left ankle and looked down thinking it was some sort of growth. When my husband looked at it closer... sure enough, it was a teeny, tiny, tick--and it was attached to my skin, sucking my blood. UGH! Ticks have become a huge problem in the northeast and upper midwest here in the U.S.--especially the blacklegged (Ixodes) deer tick--the carriers of Lyme disease. Pennsylvania has been deemed one of 16 "high incidence states" by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) here in the U.S.  For those of you not familiar with Lyme, it can be truly debilitating if not treated in one of the earlier stages. 

The deer tick embedded in my ankle and after being removed. It was only the size of a poppyseed, but can carry Lyme Disease which brings terrible effects if not treated early.

My husband (who also just found a tick on his own leg this morning!) was able to remove it fully with sharp tweezers and we sent it away to a lab for analysis. The results came back positive--the tick was carrying the bacteria that transmits Lyme disease. Even though my tick was just a nymph, I learned that nymphs and female ticks have the highest likelihood of transmitting the disease. After contacting my doctor, I was put on doxycycline for ten days as a preventative measure and it seems to be working... I've been on it for five days and have had no signs of Lyme disease so far--phew! Just a reminder to all who live in deer tick infested areas--check yourselves (and your pets) very, very carefully after being on the grass, in the garden, or hiking through forests. To read about removing ticks, click here. To read more about Lyme disease itself, click here. Sadly, this has made me a bit afraid to even venture out into our yard or garden. Not an experience I want to repeat...  Do you have deer ticks in your area? 

I'll leave you with something just "a little bit" cuter than that horrible tick... This sweet bunny was  sitting by the sidewalk peeking out at us through the tall grass when we visited my middle son's apartment on Father's Day. Such a sweet little face!

Peek-a-boo!

Hope July is good to each of you! Do you have any fun plans with friends or family? A special trip or vacation, perhaps? Wishing all of my U.S. friends who are on the road or in the air for the 4th of July, safe travels! Thank you, as always, for visiting me today. I do appreciate each one of you (and your sweet comments and emails) so very much! Bye for now...

Happy 4th of July!

"B" is for...

Hello there! The middle of July has passed and I'm just now posting... July is one "busy" month (just one of the many "B" words you'll read about in this post!) for my family with lots of birthdays, our wedding anniversary, gardening, etc. It's interesting how some families seem to have "clumps" of celebrations in one month or another. Our busiest month is definitely July. We don't have a single birthday in June or August (since my dad passed away anyway). What are your "busy" months? 

"B" is for... Big finish!  I decided earlier this year that I just had to stitch more summer themed pieces. I have a ton of patriotic finishes which I love having out in July, but I wanted more simple summer finishes to decorate with in June or August. The adorable designs in the "Celebrate" series by Madame Chantilly caught my eye when they were released and I purchased every single one. I've stitched snippets of "Celebrate Winter" and "Celebrate 4th of July" as little ornaments, but "Celebrate Summer" is the only design I've stitched in its entirety. There was a lot of stitching in this piece--much more than I anticipated, but I love how it turned out!

"Celebrate Summer" by Madame Chantilly

I stitched this piece on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle linen using the suggested DMC colors. Stitching with DMC is so relaxing, isn't it? You never have to worry about the actual stitched piece not matching the photo on the chart like you do when using many overdyed threads. The reds, yellows, and blues are such perfect summer shades.

Look at the cute mermaid--she even has tiny blue earrings!

I did make one major change (in addition to leaving off the word "Summer" underneath the tray). I substituted "Hello Summer" for the charted "Hello Beach." We are not near a beach and rarely visit one so I just felt the "Hello Summer" phrase on the chalkboard was much more appropriate for my family. 

Such a happy looking whale!

The little motifs are so charming aren't they? Why just look at that little pig-tailed girl in her old-fashioned bathing costume and parasol--adorable!

So many adorable motifs!

I enjoyed stitching this summer piece so much and I know I'll be doing more of the "Celebrate" series--I think the fall design may be next! Have any of you stitched one of these?

I hope to frame this one soon!

 

"B" is for... Baking! I got the chance to bake when we went to a little get-together with my husband's biking buddies and their wives a couple weeks ago. Since it was a hot, hot day, I went with two very quick and easy desserts that I've made before and shown you on my blog. But, with a number of new readers, I thought you might like the links to these recipes again. Shown below are a very decadent pair: Peanut Butter Pie and Flourless Chocolate Cake. Don't they look scrumptious? Believe me... a little slice of these goes a long way! The Peanut Butter pie recipe can be found right here on the Jif Peanut Butter website.

July baking

The flourless cake looks quite elegant, but it is so simple! Be sure to watch the video and follow the tips suggested for a perfect looking cake. The white powdered sugar design is  made by placing a large doily on top and sprinkling the sugar over it. Lift off the doily carefully and you have a lovely dessert. I used strawberries to decorate the center. If you'd like to surprise your family with a super fudgy  treat, you can find the recipe on the Allrecipes website right here. The glaze I used for it can be found here. I only make a half-recipe of the glaze and it is plenty.  (Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Premium Baking bars were used for both the cake and the glaze just in case you're wondering). Yum!!!

I dare you to eat just one bite!

"B" is for... Blueberries! Two years ago my husband planted six or eight blueberry bushes and this year we had our first edible blueberries. (We had some last year, but you're not supposed to pick them that first year). Oh, my... they were fabulous! Sadly, we only got a few cups due to the birds helping themselves to them, too. We have the bushes under netting, but the birds still found a way to get underneath  and devour them. If anyone has any tips on keeping birds away from blueberries, I'd love to know...

Our first homegrown blueberries!

"B" is for... Blooms! My husband went a bit crazy with the sunflower planting this year (well, actually, I went a bit overboard in buying so many seeds) and they've taken over his garden. I love seeing their big bright heads bobbing around outside our window. Such a happy flower!

This year we planted sunflowers of all heights--from 3 feet tall to over 12 feet!

 

A bouquet of sunshine

"B" is for Babies! No, not human babies--baby deer. They seem to be everywhere right now and I love seeing the tiny white-freckled creatures trotting along after their mothers. This photo was taken from my living room window the other day. Sadly, there used to be two babies, but one was hit by a car and my husband found its little body back in the woods by our pond. 

A new little fawn exploring our yard

My sweet grandson (whom we fondly refer to as the "deer whisperer" because he has this uncanny ability to spot a deer quicker than any of us) is shown below. Look closely and you'll see him pointing at the mother deer with her baby lying right next to the street in their suburban neighborhood. It looks like the baby deer was just born, doesn't it?

Mister B loves animals of all kinds and was so excited to see the baby deer right in front of his house.

"B" is for... Birthday! And finally, I saved the best "B" for last. My little grandson, Mister B, turned three years old! This was the first year he really understood what a birthday was about and his enthusiasm was contagious. For months he had been telling people he was going to be "three in July" and he would be getting "five presents." Well, he ended up with many more than that, trust me! He had a little party in the park down the street from his house with six little friends (all were girls!) and their parents, his uncles and aunts, a few neighbors, and a little pug dog. The highlight of his day was the Hot Wheels piñata--he kept asking over and over when he could "do the piñata!" 

Clockwise from top left: time for birthday cupcakes, piñata time, a walk with Nonna, Mister B with Nonna and Pompa, my oldest son with the birthday boy, my son and daughter-in-law with their newly minted 3-year-old

We tried to keep our gift giving reasonable and got him a new sandbox, some clothes (which he barely glanced at, of course!), some books, the Curious George zippered pouch I had made for him earlier this year, and his favorite toy--this UPS truck! I bought it online from a neighbor  and he absolutely loves it. Do you see all those tiny boxes in the back? I found a file on Etsy for $2.00, downloaded it, and my sweet husband constructed the little UPS "packages" for him. I swear--you can find just about anything on Etsy!

One of his favorite presents--a UPS truck complete with teeny packages. Unfortunately, I don't have the driver for it, but hope to find one. This truck is made by Bruder in Germany--love the quality!

"B" is for... more birthdays! Yes, a trio of birthdays happens within a six-day span in our family in mid-July. My grandson was up first, then a day later my youngest son turned 35, and five days after that, my husband celebrated his 68th (or, as I always like to say: he caught up with me!). We were lucky enough to be together in the DC area again this year so my youngest son's girlfriend has us all over for a delicious birthday brunch and a tasty oreo cake to celebrate. 

Just look at those smiles on the three birthday boys!

"B" is for Brand New Car! If you read my last post, you know that my 2010 Honda CRV was recalled due to a serious rust issue and was deemed too dangerous to drive. It has now been a month since that happened and we still have not heard about the settlement offer from Honda. Very discouraging indeed. But... all is not lost. Two weeks ago a new Subaru Forester was delivered to the dealership, we went and test-drove it, and purchased it that very day. Would you believe I've only driven it once since? That is how little I drive these days, but so far, I love it. I felt comfortable in it immediately, but, have a long way to go to learn all the ins and outs of the technology. Yikes! I'm too old for this! It is a pretty "Silver Ice" color and we feel very lucky to have found it given the low inventory of cars these days. 

Assuming I can learn all of its technology, I think my new Subaru Forester is going to be a great car!

That was a lot of "B" words, wasn't it? Funny how that happens... I hope you enjoyed today's post! It was a fun one to put together. To leave you with a few more "B" thoughts--I hope you have a bright, beautiful, blissful, blessed rest of July. Thank you for those wonderful emails and comments--I so appreciate each and every one. Bye for now!