Category Archives: charity work

And then a hero comes along…

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…John Wood.

John Wood-book crusader

I almost didn’t watch Oprah today. I turned it on while our girlfriend was interviewing Mr. Wood about his program to end worldwide illiteracy called Room to Read (second is linked to Oprah).

Room to Read

 A former big wig at Microsoft, Mr. Wood went to Nepal on a trip and found poor conditions in a school there-overcrowded and most of the pupils couldn’t read. He vowed to go back in a year with books and he kept his promise-I was in awe with him-got the warm fuzzies big time!  Now his org is building libraries and schools all over the world. Many people in the small communities are learning to make bricks and to build themselves! Check out the link and maybe make a $5 donation (I plan to donate something).

For two days and for a few hours,  I did garden clean up. Brian cleaned up the piles after dinner each night. I think I am wearing him out! Last night we moved the big hollyhock that was across from the front door. It broke into 3 pieces so hopefully I have three new plants. I know a tree near where we just planted it gets rust or whatever fungus it is and hollyhocks are prone to get it. We planted the hollyhocks in my iris bed. The iris have spread a little. I am hoping to give some to my mom as I have some gorgeous ones. This is reminding me to go order from the same company as I won their photo contest last year (Aug. 06) and I better use the coupon soon!

Getting my hair done late in the afternoon. I think my mom is staying over to go to the gyn with me. I could go by myself, but she wants to lend support. I have some issues, but just doing all this yardwork has made me stronger (and a bit achy) over the last few days.

That warm fuzzy feeling

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After Heroes was over last night, a new show came on called the Black Donnelly’s. I tried to watch it for about 20 minutes and couldn’t get into it, so I switched over to find the Oprah Winfrey special about the all girl school she opened in South Africa. I was totally mesmerized by those sweet girls and how happy they were to be able to go to the wonderful facility that Oprah built after 5 yrs in the planning. The last photo that was shown, was Oprah in the middle and surrounded by a sea of smiles (every single girl!) teared me up big time. Oprah said that ‘all the girls are like her daughters’. This touched one girl whose mother left her when she was 4. I can see many lives changing now.

Oprah and the girls

This special will be rebroadcast on Saturday, March 3rd so check your local listings.

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I’m doing a little ‘me’ pampering tonight-I couldn’t get a hair appt until 6 tonight and I called a week ago! Cruella DeVille and I could be sisters! I guess my stylist is getting too popular. I plan to shop at a local office supply place for some art card supplies (I’ve made 32 ATC now) and then go to Subway to pickup dinner so I don’t have to cook and run out the door.

My mom is still unwell. She said she was wheezing a lot last night. She has a doctor’s appt at 3. Wish her well as this is about her 3rd week of this illness.

I went and started a new cross stitch project when I have two looming deadlines. Not to worry, the house round robin is nearing completion as I need to finish the garden area in front of the house. The bee and flower for Love Quilts is fine-the poor bee needs it’s wings! I’ll put an updated photo above soon. What I started was a heart shaped design filled with butterflies. My mom gave me the two packages of DMC linen floss for Christmas and they both came with free designs. The fabric I am using is from Sugar Maple-a blend of pinks, greens and a little yellow and blue. It’s a cashel and very nice to work on.

It’s in the 40s today, so down right tropical. Go away snow and ice! Bri almost fell in the driveway this morning as it must have done something during the night.

Crocheting!

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The crafters over at ’25 Things for Charity’ have inspired me to try my hand at crocheting again. I started with some booties for babies. I actually had to look up the different stitches it’s been so long, but I caught on right away. Brian seeing me crocheting booties made him do a double take! ~LOL~ So I sat tonight while ‘Three Wishes’ and a special about ‘The Smithsonian’ was on and did most of one bootie. It needs it cuff-that top part. I really like crocheting as it’s so fast and you get end results right away. I don’t have to pay attention that much after I get going. Booties are a little different because you have to make the heel part.
Crocheting won’t take the place of cross stitch for me, but I like to use my hands creating and this is a nice diversion.
I’ll post them here and at the Charity blog when I am finished.

I asked mom if she wants Sean to get her on Monday (his birthday) and she said she would really like to come out if she feels strong enough. Mom hasn’t been here since July 4th. She’s been in sort of a downward spiral since Hunter passed away. She even called the vet to see where the dog was cremated. She had to tell me this when I was trying to eat Lean Cuisine chicken parmagiana. He’s in Quakertown.
~Update~
Here are the booties plus a matching fedora that I made in a few days! That is my childhood doll-Thumbelina modeling them, but they are really too big for her.

Finished Charity quilt square

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I had a little time before dinner to sit a spell. The luggage is pretty much packed. I need to water some flowers outside after we eat. Yesterday I planted the iris rhizomes that came. I thought a few didn’t look that great, so I will email the company to see about replacements for them.
I went to the doctor and more or less the midwife (a new lady who looks like an older version of my sister-in-law MaryAnne) said my odd complaints are due to my age. Oh great.
Anyway, here is a charity square I just completed. They are for a bird themed quilt and are baby blue birds.

Links to Charity stitching

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I just want to get up on my soapbox and give my little ‘why don’t you do some charity stitching’ speech!
Here’s a great link:
CyberStitchers Cross-Stitch Picture Galleries:Calling All Stitchers!
I am pleased to say that I have contributed to 3 of the 7 charities listed. I see that St. Jude’s would like cross stitched bookmarks! I like to stitch them myself, so I plan to make some in the future. How easy are bookmarks?
I love to make kids happy and charity stitching is perfect. I get to stitch and I get to contribute my work to a needy cause. Enough said. : )

Stitching Blogger’s question

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How has your stitching evolved since you first started stitching?
The logicial answer is probably to say I went from less complicated designs to more elaborate and detailed designs and I can surely say I have tried a few harder projects. I guess it’s evolved in a way that I am not just stitching for myself and family. I am stitching for people I don’t even know because of my charity stitching. Plus, back in the late 70s there wasn’t a heck of a lot of designs out there like there is today.
I have always admired The Prairie Schooler and The Cross-eyed Cricket (I just finished up the girl in my side bar and she’s a CC and I started a CC nature sampler). I have most of these leaflets though I know I won’t stitch them all. My stash is huge! I really need to get serious about what I am going to do and what I need to get rid of. Whole other subject.

I was thinking about my stitching goals for April:

1). Finish up Sean’s graduation gift-a blue mortar board sampler that includes his name and school. I think I will try and make a tassel and get some metal numbers as not to use the real tassel he will be getting.

2). Get all the colors I need for my new big project ‘A Walk in the Woods’ by Cross-eyed Cricket. I am a little peeved as the fabric is only giving me an inch border on all sides. I machine sewed the edge and used fray check.

3). Work on the little linen herbal sampler by Shepherd’s Bush that has been a devil of a design to start.

4). Finish a Prairie Schooler Santa I started a few months ago.

5). Get another UFO out of the way, maybe the small swan on lily pad.

6). Get the charity quilt design ‘The Fledgings’ bluebird babies kitted up.

7). Start some Christmas ornaments to sell at Church bazaar in the fall.