And Now, For Something Beautiful!

So, I've been promising you something beautiful and here it is. I believe this is a vintage hankie, but don't know for sure. I do know it is absolutely gorgeous! I also know you will think so too. Recently, this was a gift to me from my sister-in-law, Sandy. She said she has had it for a long time, but could not remember how or where she got it. Of late, she has been 'cleaning out' things (something I should be doing), found this hanky and decided I should have it. How nice is that?

Sandy is the youngest of four children....the old navy man's only sister. There is Don, then the old navy man, then Bill, then Sandy. Considering that she was picked on as a child by those three boys, she turned out to be a very nice person and a generous one too. She is also a wonderful artist. I'll show you some of her work before the week is over.

This hanky is so delicate and finely made....I wasn't home when she brought it....she simply laid it on my kitchen table when she was visiting her brother and I found it when I came home. It should be said that I practically swooned when I saw it. Yes, swooned! Click to enlarge the photos and I bet you nearly do that too! What a gift....I am a very lucky person! Thank you, dear sister-in-law, for gifting me such a beautiful piece of embroidery!!!

For the next few days, I will be very busy....something has to be accomplished around here, but toward the end of the week, I'll post again....perhaps that artwork? Meantime, take care, pat

The Mystery is Solved!!!

Through the miracle that is the Internet.....all through Cyberspace.....has come the answer to the mystery of the "S" hooks. I have received an email from a long time reader of my blog and she has solved the mystery. She saw immediately what I have failed to see all these years.....and ME the lover of all things heart! Thank you, Caron, for showing me what I should have already seen....I am so grateful to finally KNOW why I found so many of those "S" hooks - they were more hearts from out in the universe! It's so obvious....now that I know!

Here is what Caron said, "My friend, you are missing the main point of finding these "S" hooks everywhere!!! What happens when you lay two of the same size hooks together....they make a heart." I can't believe I could not see this.....but a friend did! Another of the reasons we love blogging (and it's no mystery)....FRIENDS!

Y'all come back late tonight.....I will be showing you that 'something pretty' made from fabric I promised you last night. Meantime, take care.

That "S" Hook Story and Another Heart

After a weekend of trouble with the computer....thanks to it's inept operator...here I am to tell you the story of the 'S' hooks. As my friend, Brenda, wondered....should I really bring this up to you out there? As she reminds me, I got in enough trouble with it when it actually happened. Well, I've had requests for me to tell you as I DID bring it up and once that is done....some of you won't rest until you know what I am talking about....so, here it is:

Several years ago, I experienced something that can't be explained. Well, NOT by ME anyway and probably not by you either. It all started one day as I got out of my car in the WalMart parking lot. As I walked around my car, I saw an "S" hook laying on the ground. (I tend to look down a lot...you know...I'm always looking for those heart rocks and such.) This time, I saw that "S" hook, so I picked it up and put it in my purse. Never thought a thing about it other than I might need one of those 'sometime.' A few days later, I went to Hastings, the book/video store. I got out of my car, walked around it, went about fifteen feet and saw an "S" hook laying on the ground. I picked it up, put it in my purse and didn't think too much about it.

The next week, I was back at WalMart. Like I said, this was several years ago....at a time when our WalMart still sold DMC floss. That was what I was doing there that day....buying floss.
At that time, they displayed the DMC in little cabinets with drawers showing the numbers of the floss. So, I went there to make my selections, and THERE, on top of the cabinet, was a little "S" hook. The funny thing was there was not one place on that whole aisle where you could have used an "S" hook. Nowhere. No wire to hang it from, no loops, no pegboard, no nothing. So, I picked it up, put it in my purse, got my DMC and walked away.

By this time, I was beginning to think I was seeing way too many of these hooks. What did it mean? Why me? This happened to me over a period of several weeks. Every time I went somewhere, I'd find an "S" hook...in the parking lots, on the sidewalk...all kinds of places. I'd pick them up and take them home. I still have most of them, but not all. I found all sizes. They turn out to be rather useful and over time, I've used them here and there. It's weird...I supposed that someone, somewhere "out there" was sending me some kind of message. I have no idea what. Then, after those several weeks, I never found another one. (This photo is of the ones I have left...I keep them in a little drawer in the Nest.)

The trouble I had, as Brenda mentioned, was that my friends made fun of me for quite a while. Well, who wouldn't, if you think about it? It became known as my "S" Hook Saga. I've never heard of it happening to anyone else. So it hasn't....or else, they were smarter than I and kept it to themselves.

One of my readers suggested it was a wonder I wasn't arrested...I guess especially in WalMart for making off with one of their "S" hooks. I never even gave that a thought at the time. (Well, honestly, I thought it was put there for me....after all, there was nowhere it was needed on that whole aisle...and I did go there specifically for that DMC floss....why else would it have been there?) Of course, I'm not serious....I don't know why it was there, but, you have to admit it really was a WEIRD coincidence! What do YOU think?

Now, about the heart....as you know, I went to the Bee's Knees the other day and found that wonderful sign you saw in my last post. When I got out of my car, I looked down and THERE was this Heart Rock!!! I'm telling you....life is never boring!!! So, there you are....my "S" hook and heart stories. Who knew??? take care out there, pat

PS. Next time, oh, tomorrow or the next day....you'll get to see something really quite beautiful and made of fabric!

A Sign

Rarely do I post two days in a row. I know you've noticed that. So, you must have already figured out that I have something important I want to show you. Well, "important" is an individual thing, so you may not find this important at all, but I DO, so I wanted to share this photo with you.

I made a quick trip to one of my favorite flea markets this a.m. The Bee's Knees. And, right inside the front door, my eyes landed on this sign. Well, it's green...so already it 'spoke' to me. And, then, I read it. OH MY! It's that 'heart' thing again. Had to have it....because just think about what it says...."you have my whole heart." Of course, you do and now you know. Anyone who enters the Nest in my backyard will know.

See, it WAS important. What do you think? take care, pat

PS. I was asked in an email to explain my 'S' hook story to you. I will, but first, I thought you needed a break from my odd stories. Next time I will tell you and then after that...I'll show you something pretty. Promise.

Just One More Special Story

This is the second installment of my special 'heart' stories. Some of you may call them my "weird heart stories." That's ok. It won't bother me. I suppose I feel compelled to tell you these stories because I find them very uplifting. Special. You may call them whatever you wish and I'll be fine with it.

As you know....I have a habit of putting hearts on my work and am attracted to all kinds of things 'heart.' As you also know....the heart shape is the universal symbol of love. It works for me! So, when they seem to appear in my life without any rhyme or reason...I pay attention.

A few days before I left for my retreat on the 7th of this month....I took my daily walk out to the mailbox. I saw something at the end of my driveway....just laying there and for some reason, I thought it might be a dead bird. There is a power line that crosses our property, so I thought maybe a bird had died up there and landed on the concrete. (By the way, I could never be an eye witness in a court, as I can't really see details further than about ten feet away and that's pushing it!!) As I approached the mailbox, I realized it wasn't a dead bird, thankfully, but was something entirely different.

When I reached the object, imagine my surprise when I realized it was a HEART. No, I did not think "it's just a piece of wood," I thought HEART! I just jumped up and down, yelling "it's a heart!" (Yes, my neighbors already know I am 'not like them.') I picked up the heart and was overjoyed, running into the house to show the old navy man. Well, he wasn't nearly as excited as I was. I said, "Oh, look what I found by the mailbox...what does it look like to you?" "Duh," he said..."it's a heart." "Well, don't you think it's odd?" "No," he said. So I said, "You aren't the least bit amazed that a heart was at the foot of MY driveway....ME....the person that appliques hearts, embroiders hearts, searches for hearts?" Again, he said "No."

So, ok, it's a piece of wood (about six inches long), it probably fell off one of the many pickup trucks that go up and down our street. BUT, it fell in MY driveway. Not one of the neighbors...the ones who don't collect hearts....but MY driveway, the person who does! So......actually, I feel it came from somewhere 'out in the universe' as a special treat from someone, somewhere...especially for me! And, gosh, I just thought of it....it was by my mailbox! Mail from out in the universe! I love it!!!!

So, yeah, I know you are probably shaking your heads, thinking I've gone off my rocker or something. It's ok. Me....I'm still thinking it is a very special "thinking of you" gift. And, so I will add it to my other heart treasures....and be grateful I'm thought of "out in the universe somewhere!" take care, pat

PS. By the way, I once had a weird experience with "S" hooks. It went on for weeks. You're probably lucky I didn't tell you that story today!

A Very Special Heart

I intended to post today about something other than what you see here, but I got so excited over this, I had to go ahead and show it to you. So, here's the story. As you've read on this blog before, I love to find heart rocks. I now look for them everywhere I go. My sister and brother-in-law remember that I do this. They live in Texas, where the old navy man and I are originally from. Actually, they live in McGregor, which is near Waco. My brother-in-law, Rick, (a carpenter, originally from the state of Maine) loves to go out in the Texas countryside in search of fossils, petrified wood,etc. The other day, he did just that and found one of those heart shaped rocks. A very special one, as you can see.

Here he is with his pickup loaded with petrified wood. And, in another photo, you can see the heart he found. Turns out he visited a mutual friend's home out in the country...between McGregor and Waco. And went searching. He says he was very excited and surprised to find such nice pieces of petrified wood and in picking them up....looked down and saw this rock, which turned out to be a heart. Of course, that made the day even more special....as he knew the rock would go to ME! How cool is that? What a very nice and thoughtful brother-in-law I have!!!

So, look at the heart....can you believe it? I received a tiny little package from Texas on Friday and couldn't believe my eyes when I opened it. There, inside a tiny red box, was this heart rock.
I had to call immediately and ask if it was a trick. Absolutely not....the story is true, I heard back.
And, I believe it....Rick tells the truth (even when it hurts)....one of the things that makes him a great brother-in-law. After a careful examination, everyone present at my house at the time (the old navy man, his sister, my father-in-law and me) concluded that it had to be real even though it was so unbelievable. Thank you again, Rick!!!!!

A very special heart....from nature....and from a sweet brother-in-law. How nice he remembered that I am partial to those heart rocks. Lucky me!

In my next post, I'm going to show you a heart delivered to me by someone out there in the universe unknown to me....one that will also surprise you. So, stay tuned! take care, pat

My Favorite New Book!

Last week I was on amazon.com looking for a redwork book a friend had told me about. I found it, ordered it and then noticed another book that just called my name. Loudly. It called my name so loudly it roared and I just had to stop and listen, look inside and press that order button. I KNEW it would become one of my favorite books...ever! It arrived at my house on Saturday and I will not be the same as I loved every single page and all the designs. That, and the photos are to die for!

The book is "Crazy-Quilted Memories" by Brian Haggard. It's published by C&T Publishing. It's delicious!!! You will want it too and can purchase one directly from my new best friend, Brian, by visiting his blog, The Creative World of Brian Haggard. Click HERE to go there and tell him I said Hi. No kidding, if you love crazy quilting and embroidery, you won't be able to put it down.

Brian is also working on a second book which will be out next FAll. I plan on being the first to buy it....well, let's race to see who gets it first!!!! Ok, for now....let me know if you get this one and how much you love it!! (And, thanks, Brian, for this gorgeous book!!) take care, pat

PS. No, I still have not figured out how to get my photos published in the order I want them since I got this new computer. What's with me anyway?

BTW, I've been asked about the redwork book. Love it too, but for different reasons. You might want to check it out also. "Simple Pleasures in Redwork" by Kathy Schmitz. Published by Leisure Arts, Inc. Lovely redwork samplers and other pretty things! Enjoy both!!!!