A hodgepodge of everything!

Hello fellow bloggers!!!
This is a little bit late, and a jumbled up post, but I'm glad to be sharing it with you!

I visited one of my favorite little local shops, "P is for Primitive", located on the Square in Canton, MS.  Lisanne has a few antiques in the front of the shop, but the back is primarily for rug hooking supplies.  She has gorgeous wools, but there's not much there for me, other than DMC threads!  In the front, she also carries sweet little ornaments and seasonal decorations.  I went back to get the precious watering cans I talked about in a previous post.  They are so cute and are perfect on my Spring tree!  Don't you just love the sweet little bead "water drops" that come from the spout??  And I couldn't leave without that darling primitive Spring bunny, which now graces the top of my tree!

Since I last posted, I've been to Memphis again!  I found several fun things to purchase, and I just hope I'll get them stitched one day!  I love those tart pan stitches from Plum Street Samplers, so I had to buy both of those, plus the pans!  I also got some pretty red, white, and blue floss, because I'm itching to stitch some patriotic stuff!

I also attend my annual state music club meeting and this year is was in Columbus, MS.  It was a fun time, with wonderful music and great food!  I stayed in a B&B, which I haven't done before!  It was a fun time and I loved my gorgeous room in this antebellum home, the Cartney-Hunt House.  Isn't it beautiful?

I have turned in my last exam and picked up my cap and gown for Friday night!  YAY!
Yes, I will have my Masters on Friday night!  Hahaha!  You're all invited!

When I got home from my lovely trip to Columbus, there was an exciting-looking package waiting for me!  I looked at it and ripped it open, all at the same time!!!  Inside, I found something nicely wrapped in tissue, and a beautiful envelope!    Inside the envelope was a beautiful handmade card from Annette (California Stitcher).  Isn't it gorgeous???  I cannot believe that she took the time to make that beautiful card for a "56 year-old graduate"!!!!  

 

Well, then I had to rip open the larger package, and I couldn't believe my eyes!!!!  Annette made a fabulous music-themed project bag, just for me!!!  I absolutely love it!  I am so thrilled and humbled by her kindness!  Oh my goodness!!!  The fabric is so beautiful and she has a piano charm on the zipper and eighth notes charm where she put my initial!!!  I just love it!   If that wasn't enough, I unzipped it to look at the lining (which is the beautiful music fabric) and there was more inside!!! She made a sweet matching needle book and I just love it, too!  It has a little music charm inside!  Then, to top it all off, she included the wonderful Mardi Gras mask chart she had ordered from New Orleans!!!!  I am ecstatic!!

I am so touched~thank you, Annette!!!  You are so lovely and a precious friend!  Thank you again so much!!!

I will post photos from graduation after Friday night.  I had portraits done today!  Hahaha! I also had my photo made with my piano teacher, and I am pleased to have that!  It took 3 years, but the time has really flown by and it's been such a joy!

Thank you for stopping by, and please come back again soon!

Frances

One Lovely Blog

I am so surprised to be awarded the One Lovely Blog Award by Vickie!  What a sweet thing for her to do!

The purpose of this award is for bloggers to nominate fellow, mostly newer, bloggers that they wish to recognise. The goal is to bring attention to blogs that we think are "lovely" and enjoy reading. We hope others will enjoy reading these blogs also.

In order to accept the award, the nominated blogger must follow these rules:

• Thank the person who nominated you & link back to them in your post
• Share seven facts about yourself
• Nominate 10 other bloggers for the award

I need to list seven facts about myself....hmm...

1)  I have been happily married for 31 years to my sweet husband, who is an engineer.  We have one son, who has been our joy for 28 years.  He weighed 11 pounds, 5 ounces at birth!!  He was a great big fella!!! (yes, for those who wonder, I had a c-section!)

2)  I am a musician--pianist & organist--and began piano study 48 years ago.  That really sounds like a long time, doesn't it???  My most prized material possession in my Steinway grand that I got a very few years ago!  It is so lovely and beautiful!

3)  I work as a Catholic church musician--I am parish music director/organist at my church.  I love going to church.  I always have.  I'm not "overly religious" in the way that I talk about it constantly, but I have a deep faith that gives me comfort in times of need, contentment, and a genuine happy outlook on life.  

4)  I am completing my Masters in Music on May 1st!!  I am graduating from Jackson State University, an HBCU (historically black colleges & universities) in Jackson MS, near where I live.  It's tough to start back to school in your 50s, but actually not as tough as I thought it might be.

5)  My father died when I was 27 and I have missed him for a long time.  But, I am glad that he was my dad, even for not as long as I would have wished.  He was tall--6'5" and was a glider pilot in WWII.  He could also fly regular airplanes, and used to fly us around when we were young.  Our friend had a 4 person plane (we did not) but my father flew us around in it on weekends.  I have fond flying memories.  It's very different from flying in big commercial jets.

6)  I was a Girl Scout from second grade through twelfth grade!  I went camping, cooked outside, dug a latrine, swam in a lake, and all of that awful stuff!!  HAHA  I remember being dirty and smelly, and eaten up with mosquitoes!  They're actually good memories, but won't be repeated!!

7)  There have been 3 professional baseball players in my family--my great uncle, uncle, and cousin. Two played in the minor leagues, but one did make it to the majors, playing with the Red Sox.  I even have my own baseball story--I was the baseball organist for our local AA minor league team back in the 1980s!  I can play all the fun little organ songs: Charge!  Mexican Hat Dance, Take Me Out to the Ballgame!  Those were fun times!   (and NO, I cannot swing a bat and hit anything!!)

8)  I worked in a LNS years ago, when I was expecting my son.  It was so much fun!  This was 1986ish.  I stitched store models, cut fabric, priced items, waited on customers, etc.  I really enjoyed it.  Sadly, the store closed in the late 80s.  Now there isn't a LNS anywhere near me.  Sad...

I hope this gives you a little glimpse into my world!  I've had ups and downs, like everyone, but the good has always outweighed the bad!

I am supposed to mention blogs that I enjoy visiting.  There are MANY that I enjoy, and this is only the tip of the iceberg, as they say!!!  I tried to look to see if people were already nominated. I also tried to see if these had "no award" on their blogs.  If I have made a mistake, oops!!!  So sorry!

Check out these fun blogs!

Sally

Angela

Justine

Pamela

Dani

Marlene

Daniela

Judith

Jacquie      (Jacquie is sick right now, but I couldn't leave out her lovely, smiling blog!)                                       Get well, Jacquie!

Thank you for stopping by and please come visit again soon!

Frances

Spring Has Sprung!

Our weather has been mild and pleasant, even though we are getting our April showers!
I think it's time for the Spring Tree!  I got all of Easter put away and got out my cute Spring goodies!

It's such a light and happy tree to look at!

 

I love all of these!  The violets at the bottom were stitched by my cousin years ago, and I made it into a cute little ornament.
I made the sweet cows for my late mother-in-law in 1990--I had blogged about it here. The cute black and white sheep are from a dishwasher magnet from years ago.  The queen bee was a freebie from The Primitive Hare and is found here.  The peacock is a freebie from Jenny Rasmussen.  

Arent' they cute?  This fun colorful flower ornament was a freebie by Lilybet Designs, and I can't locate it anywhere online.  I think it was from 2010--Tulip's A Buzz. I used lively colored fabrics for this one, and a little ladybug button that I had!
The flower basket is from Prairie Schooler's Spring Miniatures.  The coneflowers were stitched by my cousin years ago.  They were in a small gold frame.  She gave them to me and I fashioned an ornament from them!  I used African fabric and a sweet little bee button!

 

I love the tiny garden gloves like the purple one at the top of the photo!  Too, too cute!  I'm actually going back this week to get the little watering cans I saw earlier...why didn't I just go ahead and get them when I was in the store??  HA  Oh well, maybe I'll find more that I just have to have!

The sheep on the left is the only thing I kept out from the Easter Tree.  It was the freebie from found here.  The little flower with bee button is from Prairie Schooler's Spring Miniatures.  I added buttons and even some African fabric at the bottom.  

My precious bee was a giveaway gift from sweet Jacquie.  I love it so much and it always makes me smile.  She's been really sick and in the hospital.  Many are praying for her swift recovery.  The red poppies were also stitched by my cousin and given to me to make into an ornament.

My house is in total disarray--I had the carpets cleaned today.  We only have carpet in the bedrooms now, but they're all bright and clean now.  I'll put the stuff back tomorrow!  You don't realize what sits on your floors until you move it.  (not really that much but it looks like tons stacked in another room!!)

I reserved my cap and gown for graduation on May 1st!!  I ordered a few little announcements for my family.  I cannot describe how ready I am for graduation!  It's almost here!

Thanks for stopping by and come back soon!

Frances

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Easter Sunday!

As a church musician, I have spent the last few days playing for Holy Week services.  It is very tiring, but also very beautiful and one of my favorite times of the year!
Here are a couple of glimpses of the glorious flowers in our church.  The Easter lilies are so beautiful, and here is a close up of the Easter candle flowers.  So pretty!

At our early Mass, the youth played their instruments.  I have such a good group--a flute, 2 violins, a bass, and 2 clarinets.  The youth cantor and I are sitting on the back row.  My adult choir sang at the later morning Mass.  Then I had my family for lunch.  I think I will be in bed early tonight!!!  But it was all worth it!

Thank you for stopping by and please come back soon!  Happy Easter!
Frances