Sunday Scripture...

Courtesy of  Sweet To The Soul (FB) via Abby of Little Birdie Blessings

Thanksgiving In Photos...

Brynwood Needleworks - Thanksgiving Transferware Plate

Just a few photographs of our Thanksgiving day this year.

Brynwood Needleworks - Thanksgiving

Cranberries, orange juice, sugar and vanilla stewing. I love hearing the cranberries pop as they cook!

Brynwood Needleworks - Thanksgiving

 They came together to become a perfect sweet side dish for dinner.

Brynwood Needleworks - Thanksgiving

Each year, our dear friend, Richard takes our annual Christmas photo. It was a perfect day for posing outside this year. Of course, we took our Thanksgiving photos with him, too. 

He and Handsome have been friends since fourth grade, and he lives about four miles from us. He stood up in our wedding and he's family to both of us. We're so glad we could spend the afternoon and evening with him again.

Brynwood Needleworks - Thanksgiving

We received calls from family members far away, and friends near and far. We shared weather reports and watched football. (Our team lost. sigh)

Brynwood Needleworks - Thanksgiving

 Taking the turkey out of the oven is always a little like opening a gift.

Brynwood Needleworks - Thanksgiving

The right temperature for the right amount of time, and this fourteen pound bird was perfect this year. There was enough meat, dressing and sides for our dinner; leftovers for Richard to take home; two dinners I delivered to a friend while the guys did cleanup; and still more for turkey sandwiches on the weekend!

Brynwood Needleworks - Thanksgiving

Rick always brings dessert. This year, it was a beautiful pumpkin pie topped with pecans and caramel. It tasted as good as it looked (of course).

We are blessed indeed.
I hope all of you had a wonderful day, too.

I have been sewing the past few days (except yesterday), so I'll share my projects with you tomorrow. I never do "Black Friday", preferring the quiet of my studio to the craziness of the shops. In keeping with that, I'll be happily completing projects that will be shipped to customers early next week.

Sunday Scripture...

Give Thanks...

I finished another one of my Sweet Stitches embroideries over the weekend. 

Because it's meant for July, I'll wait to show you that one until later. (I asked
Handsome to choose which one I should do next and he liked "Liberty".)

Instead, I'll show you the second embroidery I did in October. I only showed

 a little bit then, and decided to save it to show you until Thanksgiving week. 

I know you were expecting to see "peeks" of the project I was working 

on at weeks' end on Friday and Saturday. Change of plans. So close to 

being finished with FIVE more gifts, I was informed that there won't be 

a gift exchange between us this year. Whoa! I didn't see that coming.

One of the gals lost her beloved husband three weeks ago, and is understandably 

not in the holiday spirit. Another has family that has temporarily moved in with 

her for an extended while and has put a damper on her creative endeavors.

I'm still going to finish those projects, but they won't be Christmas gifts, so 

I decided to take a weekend break and regroup. I spent Saturday starting the

"Liberty" Sweet Stitches block and finished it Sunday during the Packer game.

Today, I'll begin another Christmas gift. I'll show you my progress on that

when you come back to visit on Wednesday. If you're traveling during this

holiday, please be safe and have a wonderful time with family and friends.

 This time of year, I'll be reflecting on all of the blessings in my life. It's not

 about gifts or "what's in it for me"...it's about taking care of each other. Those

relationships based on give and take, mutual love, and respect that lasts a lifetime.

On the top of my list is my own beloved, Handsome. I'll write more about my

list over the course of the week - along with pictures of finished projects.

Tag will be back tomorrow. He has his own list, too...and you know him.

He's just too excited to keep these things to himself. He can't wait!

Although many people don't like Mondays, I personally love them. I

view each Monday as a new beginning and another chance to get it "right".
So...Have a great Monday, my friends.

Sunday Scripture...

Scripture for Thanksgiving Week • Image from French Press Mornings

Sunday Scripture...

web image

 Psalm 30: 1-12

Happy Thanksgiving...

Image courtesy of 4Shared.com

Blessings from our home to yours...

Tuesdays With Tag - Talkin' Turkey...

Hi, Everybody!

Today I'd like to talk with you about a very serious subject.

Let's talk "Turkey"!

I'm personally lookin' forward to everything I've been hearin' about Thanksgiving...

family, friends, good food, music (at our house) and perhaps some football, 

where everyone will get all excited and holler at the tv while I run around barkin'. 

I do have one small question, though...What the heck is THIS?

 "It's our turkey, Taggart."

"No way, Mom. This isn't a turkey. It's a hard, cold lump in plastic wrap!"

"Just wait until Thursday, Little Man. I promise you'll be drooling when you

 get a whiff of this bird in the roaster, filled to the brim with my homemade stuffing."

I know that Mom makes the best food around so I'll believe her. 

If she says this is turkey...then it's a turkey!

I'm lookin' forward to seein' everything that Mom is gonna make for our 

Thanksgivin' dinner. I love having company, too, so it's gonna be a perfect day!

We didn't go on our road trip last weekend, which is just as well. Mom got

sick on Sunday night. I'm glad Dad was here to take care of her. I'm not much

of a nurse, although I would have been happy to lick her face 'til she felt better.

She's feeling much better now, so Dr. Dad has done it again. (Thanks, Dad!)

Well, Mom helped me churn out another T w/T post for you today.

We all hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and lots of good stuff to eat.

'til next week...

"More Waggin' and Less Barkin'!"

and

Happy Thanksgiving from the Corgi

Sunday Scripture...

 "Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
And pay your vows to the Most High;
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

- Psalm 50:14 

Because You Just Never Know...

Many days I write my blog posts and never know the lives I touch with my words.  Each day, my goal is to write a thoughtful post about the "joyful and creative" aspects of my life. Then there are days where I share some of the less joyful or less creative stories I have to tell.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that this past year has had some sad days, too. Those dark days when I lost Fezzik so unexpectedly, and then this fall when Kes (and my former Golden, Kirby) joined him at the Rainbow Bridge during our travels. Our dogs lives are so very short to begin with, but it still comes with sadness when their times come and they must leave us.

I don't recall this for you to make you relive those sad days with me. Rather, to explain the stories that prompted one of my blog friends to send me a package recently. I received a package in the mail Tuesday and I hate to say that I didn't recognize the return address. Marie in Ohio. Hmmmm. Did I order something and forget where I purchased it? I didn't think so.

Handsome, Tag and I walked back to the house whereupon I immediately went back to the studio to open the box so it would reveal its contents. Imagine my surprise to find so many wonderful surprises inside!

An adorable squirrel holding acorn salt and pepper shakers. Marie knows how I adore acorns and thought of me when she found this. Then, she also added two little sewing (quilting) kits. The sweetest snowman is the center of a small accent quilt from The Wooden Bear Designs, and all the supplies in another kit to create a little zippered Out & About carry-all. Aren't they wonderful?

Marie also added two pieces of nautical-themed fabric that I know will work perfectly with a recent lighthouse fabric purchase.

I opened her handwritten card first, but wanted to save its sentiment for last.  Marie told me that she reads my blog all the time - although she doesn't have one of her own yet - and that she saw the acorn s/p set and got them just for me. (Imagine that!) She also traveled this summer, but spends time in Winter Haven, FL, too. I'm hoping that I will get to see her on her next trip south so that I can thank her in person. (Marie...please send me an email through my blog so that we can see if there's time to get together while you're here!)

By the time I'd finished her card, I admit I was a little weepy. She wrote the most beautiful words to me and I want her to know that she - and all of you - bless me every day with your thoughts and comments, and sometimes with your gifts. Thank you, my new friend, for all the special gifts you sent to me. They will be used and cherished for a long time to come.

I also received another gorgeous artist trading card from Sherry @ Createology. She is so talented and artistic. I'm tickled to have another card from her to add to my collection. I owe you, my friend! I'll get your cards out this week I promise.

So, if you're wondering if anyone reads what you write on your blog, or whether or not you touch anyone with your thoughts, I'm proof that we all do. I'll continue to share those thoughts on my joyful and creative life with you, and try to keep the "reality" posts to a minimum. When I'm writing to you, I'll continue to write as though I'm sitting down to tea with my girlfriends (and boy friends, too). After all, you just never know whose life you might touch...and occasionally, they'll touch you right back.

Again, I am humbled beyond words at the generosity of my long-distance friends. Thank you.

Sunday Scripture...

"I do not cease to give thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers."

- Ephesians 1:16