My latest scan was clear and Dr. Robinson doesn’t need to see me for 6 months! How’s that for good news? I did mention the inexperienced nurses who can’t put in an IV and he gave me some pointers.
It was 56 degrees today but since I wasn’t home the dogs pouted in the house all day. Ugh. Spoiled.
I was done at the clinic at 10:30 so I started hitting the thrift stores and antique malls. Here’s some of my finds:
I think this is charming – not executed well, maybe she was just learning or maybe she was near the end of her life and her fingers just didn’t work so good anymore. Either way I love adding it to my collection.
This large piece hangs in the quilt shop – you can see how big it is here.
Now look at the details – the woman’s name and the date are at the bottom and the price on the tag at the top is $2!
I’ve had this for many years – it would certainly cost more today. I feel like I’m rescuing these needlework pieces – if the family doesn’t want them they evidently don’t see the value in all that hard work. Someday all of these will end up at my estate sale like everything else but I will enjoy them for now.
Some messages to readers:
Rhoda, I’ll bet you think I’ve lost my mind! I set another box on top of the music and simply forgot about it until I got your note. I am so sorry! I will get it in the mail – I made myself a note!!
Kathy – I loved the article about Diane. Very inspirstional, isn’t she?
Janice R – Thanks for sending this article about Country Threads. I have a copy somewhere – but it was very fun to see it again. Here it is for anyone who is interested in blowing it up so you can read it.
Reader photos
And in Savers today I saw this bowl selling for $4.99 but the original price tag from a garage sale or something says $.99. Quite the markup. Savers is very expensive. Pay attention when you shop.
I just finished this book – quite a good mystery. I didn’t figure it out until the last two pages!
I’ve had a long day – the last time I looked at the clock it was 4:02 am, up at 6 and on the road at 6:45. What’s new at your house?
P.S. Southern Iowa is getting rain!
Mary, This is GREAT a news!!!! Your book sounds intriguing, think I’ll put it on my list to read, or should I say put it in my Amazon cartI 🙂
I love these sweet samplers.
Great news Mary. What a relief. Now if you could just find a cleaning lady.
Hi Mary,
That’s the best news of the day!!! So glad you are in your way back to full health.
Not much happening here in Wisconsin, I’m sitting on the couch with my dogs and some coffee. Going to do some sewing today, but I need to go buy a new sewing machine first. Yuck.
I love all the samplers you have rescued and kept. They are like a history book of the crafters who came before us.
Mary, My favorite blogger. I look forward to reading it as soon as I see it come out.
I love the sayings on the samplers. The one reminds me of my favorite quote.
“What I do today is important to me, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it”.
Karen – oh my, I love that quote! I sort of feel that way when I don’t want to waste time so I try to make each day count. Thus I get more done!
Mary, so glad to hear your scan was clear! I love all the needlework samplers. That seems like a fun item to collect! I used to do cross stitch & made a couple of samplers, I hope when I die they go to a good home!! We had 3 inches of rain yesterday & during the night, but the sun finally came out early afternoon & it got up to 60 degrees, a beautiful afternoon! Then later this afternoon more storms as a cold front is coming through, but we were rewarded with a beautiful double rainbow!
Debra – all that rain and we have none. Feast or famine it seems. Why don’t you send me pictures of your samplers? I’m going to post that tonight. I’d love to see what readers have made.
Hello Mary and Friends of this blog! I used to read Vountry Living magazine quite a few years ago, I looked at magazines while shopping at Hy-Vee today and was surprised to see the magazine is still being printed. I always loved reading about the fairs, I think they were somewhere in Ohio. Tell me what was it exactly, what types of vendors went there? Was it outside or inside a conference center like the Minnesota State Quilt show, or was it like going to an art fair with each vendor having a tent-like booth? I will be sending the Camper pillow to my friend next week. I may bring it with me to an all-day sew-along as that was where I purchased the pattern. It is completed before a years’ time which is a real accomplishment for me. Going to sew all day learning to make a rug, it will be an oval one. Going to watch a YouTube video now on how they’re made. So glad your appointment was a good one!
Cindy – Country Living Fair in Columbus, OH was an outdoor event – hot or cold, rain or shine. Everybody had their space with their tent or you could rent a tent they put up for you. It was so much work. Do you remember Hurricane Ike? It hit Columbus on Sunday afternoon and we had to throw everything in the truck and just leave. This was held in the fall and sometimes it was very cold in the mornings. Sometimes it rained. Many memories. Just look at a Country Living magazine and anything you see in someone’s home was for sale there somewhere. There were demos – we were asked to demo our rug.
Cindy,
The nice thing that we liked going to this festival was the state of Ohio allowed campers to park on certain areas of their fairgrounds overnight so you could pay for that and walk back your purchases, take a break, then go back to roam more. We took our motor home and one daughter and daughter in law and son and our pets so we were truly Noah’s Ark enjoying this wonderful show. We were camped in a secluded lot so away from the vendors but I think now of all the walking we did back then and feel my legs ache. We also went to the Country Living show in Rhinebeck, NY and my husband drove up to tour the Roosevelt estate and Vanderbilt house to tour while I shopped at the fair. All fun memories of quality vendors merchandise. One of my purchases stays out on my American Girl dolls……sundresses made from a vintage tablecloth. Even though I sewed I had to support the seamstress with lovely work and a memory of the fair.
Great news Mary. What a relief that must be for you. Just knowing you don’t have to make that drive would be worth celebrating.
What beautiful samplers and what a great collection you have. I recently took up counted cross stitch but haven’t done a sampler yet. Mine have all been pictorial so far. One of these days I’ll get brave and tackle one.
The blue quilt is yummy! Blue is my favorite color so I have lots of blue fabric and scraps. This would be a good way to use some of it.
The little camper is just too stinking cute! What a great way to commemorate a fun pastime.
The weather man was calling for rain here on Tuesday and Wednesday and I think we might have had 47 rain drops total. Good try. Lol
Mary, This great news. As Jamie said . . . a happy dance. Janice, Traverse City area
Thank you for sharing the wonderful news from Mayo. I retired after working for 44 years in a hospital. First as a medical technologist & later as an anesthesia technologist so I know how difficult finding those elusive veins can be! If your procedure doesn’t require fasting make sure you are hydrated & applying warm compresses to the site will often make those hidden veins appear. I love your sampler collection. I have one of my late mother-in-laws and it is treasured. So glad that your samplers are bringing joy to you and to all of us readers.
Congratulations on the good report. You know all of us readers are feeling euphoric! I am in the middle of The God of the Woods. I’m enjoying it a lot. Keep wondering how it’s going to end!
Sue H – you let me know if you’re as surprised as I was.
Your health news is fantastic! So glad for you. I love the textiles, too. If one hasn’t ever done any type of sewing one doesn’t truly understand the work and effort that goes into it. As always, I love your blog about nothing. We had dense fog this morning in NE Indiana and now it’s raining a fine mist. I’m torn about it not being snow. I love snow but I need to be careful what I wish for.
Cheers for the good medical report! Lovely quilts and samplers today. My first sampler was stamped cross-stitch on burlap. I found it very difficult to make uniform Xs. Since then my cross-stitch projects have been on Aida cloth. Much easier.
Hurrah! A GREAT long day with that good report AND thrift shopping! Love those samplers, too! Beautiful day predicted here after dreary rainy week. Can’t wait to see Jo in Wyoming’s sun quilt!
Whoopie! Doing the happy dance over your good news!!!!!!!!
Mary, It’s heartwarming to hear about your medical report.
This afternoon we will be going to a wake for our friends mother. She passed at the age of 109. Still living in her home (with 24 hour help). When she was over 100 she was still baking her own bread. When asked how she was able to do so much she said ‘motion is lotion’. It must have worked.
Have a good day everyone.
Janet S – 109??? Wonder where she found 24 hr help. That’s what I want! I’m going to remember motion is lotion – so true
So good to hear that your scan was clear and now every six months!! Rainy and miserable today and maybe more snow on the way. Ugh.
So good to hear that your scan was clear and now every six months!! Rainy and miserable today and maybe more snow on the way. Ugh.
Great news!
The exciting day is here! First grandchild getting married! Bright and sunny and 45 degrees!
Talk later!
Joy – send us a picture, too! Congrats to the couple
Mary so glad you had a good report from your appt. Will be nice not to go back for 6 months. Burned papers outside in the burn ring yesterday. Not today because we have rain and they are asking people not to burn as there have been several grass fires that have happened.
Working on a baby quilt and quilting how the quilt tells me to quilt with no real plan till I get there.
Love all the samplers and quilts being shown, will have to send a picture of a fish sampler I cross stitched for my husband.
That is certainly great news from Mayo. Every six months will be so much easier:) The samplers you collect are beautiful. It is so good to have them loved by someone. I have my Nana’s from 1929, you have it, too, and a little tiny one I made in 1963–13 years old. I think I will start looking for more–see what you’ve started–LOL.
Warmer here today, but rainy. My husband just showed me a USED spark plug he bought for the snow blower. He was not a happy camper so he had to drive back to the store. Wouldn’t you think if someone returned something, they would check to see if they returned a used one? Ugh.
Off to add binding to a quilt.
Happy news, Mary:)
Diane – yes, you should look in your area – I’ve bought them all around here. Haha! I would rant about a used sparkplug – good grief
I am southwest IOWA and did not get a drop of rain. I just saw the radar map however and I am envious of those getting rain. Temps are good.
Good news on your check up.
I’m in South-Central Iowa, 3 miles from the Missouri border. We got rain last night and this morning. It’s hazy right now…noonish…so the sun is trying to come out.
Such good news from your Doctor Mary. I’m so glad. Love seeing all of your rescued samplers. It’s so nice to give them a place to be seen. I love all of your collections.
Great news on your doctor visit. A big relief I’m sure.
We are getting rain here this morning. It started last night and rained through the night. A nice gentle rain, so that is welcomed indeed. We have been dry down here in SE Iowa.
Enjoyed all the pictures. I, too, like the blue/cream quilt. I have so much blue fabric I should do something like that. I’m still working on a quilt with men’t shirts fabrics. I have about 16 more blocks to make and will have enough for a lap sized quilt.
So sad about the plane/helicopter crash in DC. My prayers are with the families that lost loved ones.
Good news about your scan!
After mom passed, I asked my brothers/sisters-in-law, my sons/daughters-in-law and nieces and nephew to go through the many cross stitch pieces mom did. My great niece is 5 years old and she asked for a picture when her mom, my niece, was looking through the pictures. It was so sweet. She loved her great grandma! Mom did beautiful work. I still have a few pieces I don’t want to keep so I’ll ask everyone again to look through them. I am not taking them to a thrift store!
I have mom’s DMC floss that is in a beautiful wooden thread storage cabinet. My sisters-in-law and niece went through mom’s unfinished cross stitch projects and patterns. My niece took all of mom’s unfinished projects and plans to finish them. That makes my heart happy!
Sheryl – they are such treasures! I have one made by a favorite aunt but my mom did no needlework at all. How did I get this way…
Sheryl – oh, I’m so glad somebody will finish them! And I’m glad you won’t take them to the thrift store.
Woo Hoo!! 🎉🥳 Celebrating with you for a clear scan!! And no more for 6 months – yippie!!
You did have a long day but a very good day indeed.
Your sampler walls are a wonderful collection I too think would be a joy to see each day. A coworker of my husbands gave me about 5 years ago his sisters needlepoint and cross stitch samplers all professionally framed. He knew I would appreciate their work and he had no family who wanted them. I treasure them and have hung only 2. He also gave me her threads she used in her assisted living home before dementia set in. I’m glad he knows I will keep them safe.
I was hoping you could relate to that article on a woman in our area who also enjoys thrift store shopping. I do use my grandmothers Pyrex dishes but I’m thankful for pans now that are easier to clean. Yesterday I found the Country Living Fair flyer from the last time you were in Ohio. I have good memories of that fantastic show.
Kathy – I, too, have very fond memories of the Country Living Fair!
Glad to hear about your good report. Every 6 months will be so much nicer than every 3 months. The samplers are amazing. My youngest son gave me some books for Christmas, asking what genres I like before he purchased. I have read through two of them by David McCloskey: Damascus Station and Moscow X. They are detail rich and I can’t do my usual skim reading or I may miss something. But I enjoyed both. The author is ex-CIA and writes fiction about CIA operatives.
Vicki – I’ll tell Rick – he loves CIA and espionage. Me? Not so much
Mary,Congratulations on your clear scan. I’m so happy for you. Especially after all you have been through.
Wonderful news from your Mayo Clinic visit. Bet you are glad it’s not going to be every month going forward.I
Finding samplers seems to be your thing!! Wow, what a find. I wish I had kept better records of the things I’ve made over the years. A photo album of my work would be a treasure. Funny, we don’t document the effort more. I guess I just don’t take enough pictures!
That book by Liz Moore is on my hold list at the library. I’m waiting for the Large print version so it will be a while.
Have you looked at the prices on ebay for samplers? They can ask anything the want, but I wonder how high they go?
Carolyn – at the antique mall yesterday there were two samplers, very big and very detailed, that were priced at $275! Not for me.
Carolyn – can I pass my copy of the book on to you?
No, I need the large print. Thank you so much for offering.
Good news Mary. Have you healed well and feel pain free yet, hope so.
So many samplers, stunning. Working them must have been the craft of choice, perhaps before quilting fabric became commercial. Or is it USA is so populated there are just so many available. What do uou think?
Denise – I think it was a “thing” in the 30s and 40s. Like I told Rick, those hardworking women didn’t get to sit down much but this was how they relaxed. Most did beautiful work.
That’s great news about your scan!!! The electricity in the neighborhood is going to be off tomorrow from 9-1:00. They are replacing equipment. I need to get up and get the car out of the garage so I can go to Costco and get some eggs. I’ll let you know how much they cost. I had planned on pruning my roses but it’s supposed to rain.
Mary, I hope you took time for a celebratory ice tea after the great news you received. I hope Rick drove you to your appointment. I wouldn’t have been able to drive after only 2 hours of sleep. I use to thrift in Ft. Collins, CO and after a couple visits to Savers I stopped going to that store because of their high prices. I do a lot of counted cross-stitching so I appreciate all the time that a person puts into a piece. I also try to rescue pieces. I really like the blue quilt. Maybe I’ll try to make a simular one. Hope you get some moisture. We sure need it in Cheyenne.
Martha – of course Rick didn’t drive me – I went alone as usual. But I was so sleepy I had to stop at a rest area and close my eyes for 5 minutes
So glad to hear of you getting a good report. Such wonderful news. Take care.
Oh yay Mary on the good report. It must have been a long day with that ride to Mayo so early. You still amaze me at how quickly you bounced back.
Oh the samplers! That big beautiful one is my favorite. That was done in 1964. I wonder if it was counted cross stitch or printed on the fabric. I started a sampler yeats ago but I’m not fast and it must have become tedious. Now my eyesight is challenged ( I need cataract surgery) so don’t know if I’ll ever finish it That will be a shame. Love all the needlework.
Pat in Md
I’m glad your results were clear. That’s good news. I wish I had the wonderful antique shops that you have. We have some, but there’s nothing inexpensive about them and they never seem to have needlework. I have a few pieces from estate sales, and one that I made. You should have people send in sampler pictures for your points of interest posts.
Shirley – yes, pictures of samplers!!
Patricia – the big one was printed on fabric – not counted. I finally had to stop at the last rest area so I could close my eyes. I was very sleepy.
So glad you got great news from the medical community.
The hand work is so pretty. Our fall retreat challenge is to do a sun quilt. Something like the suns from Sunday Morning tv show. I’m thinking about adding some embroidery to mine.
That is great news, Mary! I love all your cross stitch finds. I’ve been binding quilts for my grandkids and they’re almost ready to ship off. It’s my least favorite thing to do, but I’m getting used to it! So happy for the good report!
Congrats, Mary! What fabulous news — I am thrilled for you!
Your samplers are making me think that I should try to do one to hang up here.
My Dad had a favorite saying, “You grow too soon old and too late smart.” I
found it printed on off-white linen in a kit and made it for him and it hung in
the livingroom where he could see it – a good memory for a 78 year old, eh?
Elizabeth – I know that old saying, too – from my dad!
What a great health report! Congratulations. And I love your stitching additions. Road to California was fun, but more lightly attended than before covid. I wonder if it will ever get back to pre-covid numbers? I have to admit I didn’t miss the shoulder-to-shoulder density of years past.
Christine – oh, I’d love to go to Road to CA! I’ve always heard such great things about it.
So glad you had a good check up. I love all the samplers; rescuing them is good. The blue quilt is beautiful; and being a fellow camper, I love the camper pillow-so cheery and cute.
It rained part of today, and more is predicted for tomorrow, dreary Friday.
Take Care, 🥰
Glad you got a good report from the dr. I’m sure that took a load off of your mind. Your needlework collection is quite impressive. Wow!
Oh, my goodness!!! ‘Today is the first day of the rest of your life’–I made that exact same sampler when I was in high school! This one is not mine, but sure looks a whole lot like the one I did! I have no idea where it went, but it is no longer in my family! Wish I still had it!
So glad to hear you got good reports from your doctors!
It’s so good to hear your scan turned out fine. I’m going to have hip replacement soon. I am afraid of IV’s. I don’t even want to look at it after it’s in. So I have it wrapped in co-ban. I used to pass out every time I had to have a blood draw, but I’m getting a little better with that. Hasn’t the weather been nice lately. I live in SW Iowa.
Patty – I just shudder when I think about the IV – let us know how you get along with your new hip!
Mary, so glad to hear about your great medical report!!
Bet your pets were glad to see you when you got home!
Hope you sleep well tonight!!