Machine Embroidery on Thermal Shirts

Today is my sweetheart's birthday.  I found a couple of thermal shirts at our local Meijer, on clearance no less, and stitched an airplane on it.  The plane design was from Embroidery Library.  Then I added some words using my Generations software.  I used cut-away stabilizer underneath the design and a Solvy wash-away stabilizer on top.  Mike got his pilot's license last year and loves flying.  I've got the shirts wrapped up and will give them to him tonight at supper.  It's a good day.  "Happy Birthday my sweet Mike!"

The above shirt says "PILOT."

 

Stay warm friends!

Embroidery Blessings,

Nancy

Machine Embroidery On a Pocket

Hi Friends,
Yesterday was a sad day as I put our Emily on a plane to head back to Albuquerque for school for another semester.  I have so enjoyed having her home for the past month.  She is such a blessing to this mama.  Keep her in your prayers as well as our daughter Katie who is getting ready to deploy to Kuwait in early March. 

Quick post here.  I embroidered several items for Emily.  Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of them all and these are just a couple of quick shots.  She got pajamas for Christmas and wanted her initial on the pocket.  The only way for me to get it on the pocket and still keep it as a usable pocket was to remove the stitching on one side and across the bottom.  This allowed the pocket to be placed flat on the embroidery hoop.  Once the "E" was stitched out I then re-sewed the pocket to the pajamas.  I was really pleased with how well the pocket looked as I don't think you could ever tell I took some of the stitching out.  The pajamas have some silver metallic thread stripes in the fabric so I stitched her initial in silver metallic.

The letter "E" was one that was built into my machine.  The pajamas had been through the wash and not pressed for this picture.  Sorry for the wrinkles but take my word it looks good.

My oldest baby Katie getting ready for deployment.  She is one tough cookie.

 

I'm so proud of my girls and love them so much.  I miss them terribly.  I know life isn't meant to stay the same but gosh I'm having such a hard time letting them go.  Life is not the same with such an empty house.  Sigh.

 

Many blessings,

Nancy

Embroidery Related Christmas Gifts

Good Morning Friends,
I just realized I hadn't shared with you some Christmas gifts I received from some of the sweetest gals on this planet.  A huge thank you for your kindness and generosity.  I was beyond thrilled at these gifts.  :-)

First from my dear Mother-In-Law Ann, I received these Anita Goodesign Holiday Packs!  It's a total of 9 collections in these two packs.  I'm so excited to stitch these out.  Actually I already started on one of them.

Next from one of my closest friends Vicki, I received an JoAnn's gift card.  I went a little crazy at JoAnn's getting their Christmas fabric while it was on clearance.  There are holiday placemats fabric panels, a stitched advent calendar panel and just some super cute fabric in here.  Remember that quilt class I signed up for?  I went to it the other night and started using some of the fabric you see here.  I can't wait to show you my finished quilt in a few weeks.

Finally, a dear friend, Martha Ann, who I met this past year through my blog here sent me some wonderful items to decorate my home.  I opened up the package to see a lovely stitched bag and inside the bag were these lace goodies.  They are Anita Goodesign - Love their stuff!  Martha blogs over at Just Another Thread so you can pop over and see what she is currently creating.  The internet is a wonderful thing to allow me to meet such wonderful women who enjoy machine embroidery and creativity.

Thank you again ladies for your kindness.  I love these gifts and I love you too!

 

My embroidery machine has been on overtime lately.  In fact, last night I thought I broke the tension on it.  The upper tension was not tightening at all even though the thread was seated well in the tension disks.  I just had it in for service. :-(  I took the cover off my machine and couldn't find anything to be causing me such grief.  Finally, the simple act of turning it off and on seemed to get the tension disks to start operating again.  I'm a little nervous to try it again this morning but I have to do my homework for my quilting class, so machine please don't fail me now!

 

Embroidery blessings everyone,

Much Love,

Nancy

 

 

 

The Season of Lent

Dear Friends,
Today is Ash Wednesday. It is an important day on the Christian calendar as it is the beginning of Lent. It is a time of preparation for Easter the highest of Holy Days. It is a time of repentance and prayer. Many people use this season to give up something as a sacrifice and to offer that sacrifice up to God. I teach religion, this year to first graders, and I speak to them about Lent and having a Lenten resolution. Those children can come up with some thoughtful answers. "I'm going to share my toys every day." "I'm going to help my mother every day with chores." "I'm going to pray every day." Some I'm sure have heard their parents speak about what they are doing for lent and will say, "I'm not going to watch TV," "I'm not going to eat candy," and so on. I really stress to them, and to my own children that this is a time not just of sacrifice, but a time to keep Christ first and foremost in our thoughts and in our actions. It is a time to work on becoming closer to Christ and becoming a better person.

I've given quite a bit of thought this past week as to what my Lenten resolution would be this year. For myself I've decided to truly be obedient to my husband and to put him first above myself. It is easy to say, "sure Honey I'll get to that," and it gets pushed to the bottom of the pile or is the task completed at the end of the day. I have decided that when he asks me to do something I will put it first, if at all possible, and do it right away or at least at my first opportunity. I will also do it with a glad attitude and happy heart. So when he asks me to help him with the taxes, ugh that's going to be the tough one for me, I'll smile and say "sure". It will be hard to have a happy heart for that task.

One thing I must confess is so far this year he hasn't asked me what my Lenten resolution will be and I haven't volunteered it either ;-) Not that he'd take advantage of my kind gestures, but I can see the potential where he might think he could have some fun with this. As long as none of you blab to him about my resolution I'll be in good shape. He doesn't read my blog unless I have something specific to show him so no worries about writing it here. Now if he asks me what I'm doing for Lent I will tell him, but otherwise I'm keeping my lip zipped.

My desire through this resolution this year is that I want to become a more Godly woman and I want my God light to shine.  And you remember SHINE is my word of the year.

Have you made a Lenten resolution? I'd love to hear what you chose this year.

with Love and God's Blessings,

Nancy
ps.  One of my favorite authors Ann Voskamp over at A Holy Experience has a beautiful Christian article about Why Doing Lent this Year is What You Really Need.  Along with that she has a free Lent and Easter devotional.

Shine Update

 

Dear Friends,
If you remember my focus this year is to SHINE.  You can read more about that HERE. 

One of the things in my life that has been lacking is to "shine" upon myself and to really care for myself.  I need to lose some weight and get my blood pressure in check.  I've made a focus in working to get in 10,000 steps each day and to really change my eating habits to real or natural foods.

Let me begin by saying that since December 29th I've lost 8.5 pounds.  I want to lose a total of 25.

With Emily, our middle child who is 17, having dealt with Lyme's disease as well as Hashimoto's disease, she has made radical changes to her diet.  She is quite disciplined as she knows how much better it really makes her feel to eat foods in their natural state.  I've always felt nutrition is important, but it has been a weakness of mine to reach for the sweets (after every meal) and I love bread.  Emily has been a huge source of inspiration to me.

I've done my best to cut out as many processed foods as I can.  My next step is to make more of my own salad dressings.  I've cut out most all simple sugars (candy etc.) and have cut way back on the complex sugars (rice, oatmeal, bread).  In fact, I'm limiting the complex sugars to one meal a day.  Finally I've basically eliminated anything fried as well.  I've given myself a one meal a week as a freebie or a treat meal in which I can have a dessert.  Side note here:  I used to work as a nurse at a weight loss center.  I know what to do, it is just the mind set of DOING it that is difficult.

For the last couple of months I've been wearing my pedometer.  It is surprisingly difficult to get 10,000 steps in each day.  If it is a quiet day, I'll normally get 4,500 to 5,000 steps.  If it is a clean the house day I get in about 6,000 steps.  If it is a shopping day I get in about 7,000 to 8,000 steps.  This means I have to do some intentional walking/exercise each and every single day. 

I'm doing it.  I'm working hard to care for myself.  I'm worth it.  I'm shining.

God Bless,
Nancy

Shine!

 

On September 30th of this past year I had one of those "God Moments" in which I feel the Holy Spirit's presence in my soul and feel he is truly speaking to me.  What came upon me was SHINE.  YOU ARE TO SHINE NANCY.

The word shine has filled my thoughts since that date.  How do you want me to shine God, I ask.

I've come to discover that I am to Shine in all I do, shine in my thoughts, my words and my actions.  God's love is light and his love shines to keep us from darkness.  I am to shine with God's love.

You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house.  Let your light so SHINE before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 5:14-16.
 

And so I pray, "Dear God, May my light always shine with your love.  First God, may it illuminate the narrow and difficult path that leads me to you and may I stay on that path without stumbling or straying.  Should I stray on the wrong path, I pray I don't go far and realize my mistake so I may turn immediately around.  Then Lord, may my light shine more for others to see.  May it start in my home and with my family.  Finally, may my light reach far and deep to help bring others out of the darkness and onto the path of righteousness that leads to you.  Dear God, I ask to be blessed with wisdom to know what to do and say and that my light always always be illuminated and shining brightly. ~Amen.

SHINE is my word of the year.  I know many of you pick a word or phrase of the year to focus on.  SHINE is mine.  One year I had the word "simplify" and another year I had the phrase "keep ahead of the game."  This year, "shine".  At least I will keep it as my word until I feel God is placing something else on my heart.  I can't wait to see all the ways I can shine this year. 

With love and God's Blessings,
Nancy 

Go Through the Bible in One Year as a New Year's Resolution

Happy Happy New Year to You!!!

Dear Friends,
I hope today, wherever in the world you are that it is a BEAUTIFUL day!  Happy New Year!

I'm talking today about the Daily Audio Bible as this is my third year to go through the Bible in audio form.  It NEVER gets old.  Since I was a little girl, I've had Christ in my life, but going through the Bible has changed my life forever and I'm truly blessed. 

Brian Hardin reads a passage in the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs each day.  Then he applies it to our lives today and finally callers who have called in with prayer requests or praise reports previously on a recorded line have their requests and praises played.  It is a privilege to get to pray for them, who I consider my Daily Audio Bible family, and they have prayed for me too.  What a blessing to know that hundreds of thousands of people are praying and joining together.

If you've thought you would like to go through the Bible in a year as a New Year's resolution, consider listening to it.  Brian's voice is comforting and he is so knowledgeable.  On occasion his family is on the air as well.  His wife Jill helps him and two of his children record Daily Audio Bible Kids.  It is precious.

So Friends, during 2013 and beyond:

May the Good Lord bless you and keep you,

May He make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you,

May He lift up his countenance on you and give you peace,

May the strength of God go with you,

May the wisdom of God instruct you,

May the hand of God protect you,

May the word of God direct you,

May you be sealed in Christ this day and forever more.

Amen.

 

With Love,

Nancy

Merry Embroidery Christmas To Me!

I hope each of you had a beautiful and joyous Christmas this year.  Our sweet Katie could not come home for Christmas, she is in the Air Force, but she comes home TOMORROW!  It is only for a few days but I am so grateful for even a few precious moments.

This year my sweet in-laws gave me the CD's you see above.  They are from OESD (Oklahoma Embroidery Supplies Designs) and I LOVE their designs.  My machine has been busy humming away.  I'm particularly fond of the ornaments and free standing lace designs. 

I know it is after Christmas, but I will show you soon what I've been working on.

Blessings,
Nancy