A pleasant side-effect from surgery.......

and that "side-effect" is.......time to stitch!!!  Actually, I finished the two wool stitcheries in the photo below at least two years ago. Some of you may recognise them as they are from a free BOM designed by Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill designs. I "sew-enjoyed" stitching the first two designs and then.....life got busy and I put the project aside. 

Then last fall, I gave it a try again. Got out my wool fabrics and choose the wool for each of the ten remaining baskets. I began stitching the Halloween block right away because it was October and I was stitching this while I awaited the Trick or Treaters. I almost finished the block that night and just have the leaves at the top to finish. Again, I set it aside when life got busy.

Well, life got even busier/crazier when I learned I'd have to have hernia surgery but I got smart. In the two weeks before surgery, I decided to round up some of these projects that always get set aside when life gets busy. I prepared two blocks that I could stitch on during my recovery. Yesterday, I added little white flowers to the shamrock design and only have to add the bunnies eye and a bow. It will be finished by tomorrow. The little basket with the chocolate bunny is all ready and waiting for me to start stitching on it when the first of March comes.

In the remaining days of February, I'm going to stitch a little on another project that has been set aside.  A year or so ago, I stitched this pretty block from from the pattern "Twilight Garden" designed by Jeanne Prue. She offered it as a free BOM a few years ago. This first block is called "Lady Slipper".

And so........prior to my surgery, I gathered wool for this project, too. Tucked pieces of the colors I needed in my wooly basket and this week, following my surgery, I would rest........read.......watch old movies.......and cut out the pieces for the next three blocks! The February block is "Colombine" and that's what I'll be stitching on this week. The second block is for March and is "Poppies". The third block in this photo is for April and I can't remember the name but I think it's something about "Trumpets". I am loving this opportunity to work on my wool projects. I love hand-stitching and simply have not done enough of it the past couple years. I've said it before ......... I love hand-stitching better than machine stitching and that's the truth!

My friend, Sue, brought me a pretty bouquet of carnations and I've received cards from friends and family. I love getting cards in the mail. :-)

This afternoon, our daughter came over and we chatted while I worked on another hand-stitching project. Will share that one soon. Collette and I worked together and fixed a yummy chicken and noodle hot dish with green beans and some homemade biscuits I took from the freezer. My husband has been doing the cooking the past week and he welcomed someone else doing the cooking. That meant that he and grandson, Jacob, could stay focused on racing. They spent the weekend watching everything NASCAR. The only hard part was the rain-delay that meant Jacob had to go home before the race was over. But, it's on tape, so he can enjoy it later. Tomorrow, son, Devlin is coming out and going to lend a hand moving some stuff about and I'm thinking he might be the one cooking tomorrow night. :-)  I think it's time for a cup of cocoa, accompanied by a little more hand-stitching........
Have a good week!
Sandi