February!

Hello, good morning and welcome to February. I haven't heard if Mr. Groundhog saw his shadow or not, but I know lots of people are ready for winter be over and done with. We've warmed up around here. It was 43F yesterday. It was also my 66th birthday yesterday. I missed my third Sunday in a row at church yesterday. I don't know that I've ever done that in my entire life. I still have a ridiculous cough and I'm so over it. Even though the doctor told me that I'm no longer contagious, people really panic when they hear coughing in public so I've stayed away from everyone. The antibiotics for bronchitis finished yesterday so I hope I'm almost done with this stuff. I hope you're all doing well and ready for the month of hearts, flowers, pink, white and red and the hope of spring in the air.

Meanwhile, I'm still showing Christmas things! Ha! I didn't want to show the cross-stitch ornaments I made the family for this year until I knew that everyone had opened theirs. They've been finished since October and here is the revealing photo. 

Tada!!!!

I used to make each person a different one every year, but then I would forget who I gave which design to. Several years ago I decided to make them all the same and just write the year next to the pattern so I wouldn't repeat. It's worked out fine so far. They all seem to love to get them and I love to make them. The backing fabric is different every year. I just buy a package of fat quarters every couple of years and it gives me a choice of what to use.

The finished photo of the "Grace" baby blanket. I do love to crochet this pattern and you see it repeated a lot on my blog. Again, this is Lion Brand Mandala Bebe yarn in the "Diagon Alley" color way. I think my last post changed Diagon Alley to Dragon Alley and I didn't catch it. Ha!

This is the "Christmas Blanket" that I was working on in my last post. I was asked to share the pattern source. I do know that it's a free pattern on the designers blog but I can't find it now. I know I originally saw it on a YouTube video by Elise Rose Crochet. I copied and pasted the pattern into the notes app on my iPad but didn't copy the designers name. I'm sorry I can't find it, but I will keep looking for the website. I apologize. I'm usually better about writing the designers name down.

This was so much fun to crochet. I made it in three days last week and I did make it two rows wider and two rows longer than the pattern called for. It ended up being the perfect size for the back of the sofa to just throw over your legs on a chilly night.

I like how it fits perfectly on the back of the sofa. (Please don't look at the Zoey hairs on the grey sofa. They are impossible to keep off, no matter how much I vacuum.) 

First I made all of the centers and then crocheted the rest of the squares. Then I laid them all out in order and whip-stitched them together. Finally I just did a simple shell border as the pattern called for.

My current project is a cross-stitch birth record wall hanging for our granddaughter that is due in April in London. I think it's really sweet. This was several days worth of stitching. As you can tell, it's a fairytale theme. Perfect for a little girl with the last name of Queen!

We FaceTimed with the kids there for quite a long time yesterday and the Grandpa projects are already being listed out since we left in December! There are shelves to be put up in the playroom and a few other small items. We don't have firm plans yet to return to London, but possibly late spring, early summer. We'll have to see. Grandma will need baby cuddles and "J" is wanting to see us too. It's just that long flight...... Why can't we just twitch our noses like on "Bewitched" or nod like the old "Dream of Jeannie" show and be somewhere else? 

Here is the Mr. Snowman diamond painting that usually visits in January and February. This is my rotating frame that I switch out seasonal diamond painting pictures. Mr. Snowman has been too generous with his snow around the country this winter and I'm tempted to switch him to the spring picture so maybe the cold and snow will let up. Ha! I do wish you could see how he sparkles in the sunlight but I can't get it to show up properly.

The surgery to remove the mass in my colon is scheduled for February 10. I don't know if they'll do it if I'm still coughing, so I would definitely appreciate prayers that I would get over this plague quickly. I really don't want to have to wait another month or more to get scheduled in. I'm not worried about the procedure itself, just that nasty prep that will have to be done again. They said a colonoscopy usually takes about 5-10 minutes of actual surgery time and that we should plan 1 1/2 to 2 hours for this surgery. Not fun although I guess I'll be sleeping through the entire thing. :-)

I hope you are all doing well and digging yourself out if you're in the areas that received so much snow and cold. Dennis's brother just called a few minutes ago and said it was 43F at the time at their house near Miami, FL. It's 10:30 in the morning, well, I guess 11:30 there! That's almost unheard of. And the snow in Pensacola, FL last week! It's really a crazy winter this year. I sure hope you're staying warm, or cool depending on where you are in the world.

Also, keep praying for the craziness that seems to keep creeping into every part of the world like an invasive species. I pray for peace and comfort from the Lord to His children everywhere. Every day I pray that I can be more like Him and share His love with everyone I can. I hope you can feel that love.

Blessings and love,

Betsy

MAKE ME A BLESSING

Music by: George S. Schuler

Text: Ira B. Wilson

1        Out in the highways and byways of life,
          Many are weary and sad;
          Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife,
          Making the sorrowing glad.

 

Make me a blessing, make me a blessing,
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray,
  Make me a blessing to someone today.

2

Tell the sweet story of Christ and His love,
  Tell of His pow’r to forgive;
Others will trust Him if only you prove
  True, every moment you live.

3

Give as ’twas given to you in your need,
  Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed,
  Unto your mission be true.