February 20, 2026 - Safe!

 Hello Friends, and thank you for caring. 

I’ve received many inquiries about our safety. Last night our area did have tornadoes.

Thankfully although the South West side of Bloomington (where we live) was hit and there is damage to several homes and businesses, it missed all of us. 

Thanks too goes out to my dear friend and her meteorologist son living way far away on the east coast who texted me and told us to get in our basement NOW! You know I love you and thank you both so much ❤️

Peace to you all! 

FEBRUARY 18 - APRIL 5, 2026

For the next 6 weeks....

I will be focusing on Lent and these six themes:

Penance

Fasting

Prayer

Sacrifice

Reconciliation

Almsgiving

The world is a mess...

and I am not talking politics. I am talking the people inhabiting the earth.

Everywhere.

I am taking my Lent serious this year...

probably more serious than I ever have before.

Because as I see it....

if I don't do my part I will regret it. When I meet my maker I want to know I did my very, level best.

I am so happy that so many of you took me up on my request for your prayer intentions.

I have a 8.5 x 11 piece of cardstock that I have in the back of my prayer binder and it is filled on one side with tiny handwritten names and intentions for many people who have contacted me. 

And of course...

intentions of mine.

Rest assured....I WILL BE PRAYING DILIGENTLY.

As I am called to do, to lift up my neighbor, to love my neighbor, as myself.

**Side Note** 

I had some people ask me what a prayer journal is. Here is what mine is...I can't tell you what other people do, but here is what I do:

I have a 3 ring binder.

I have prayers I want to say every day, I print them out and put them in sleeves, add them to my binder.

I have intentions that people have asked me to pray for written out and put in my binder. I add pages as needed so that I can write more when people give me more to pray for, or if I need to remember my intentions I jot them down.

I have paper in my binder where I do a Daily Examen and journal about it.

I read my bible and when something in my heart is moved by the Word, I stop, meditate and write what I'm thinking and feeling. (Lectio Divina) Praying with scripture is something that Pope Leo XIV has asked the faithful to do more of in the year 2026. I'm listening to him and trying really hard to do just what he asks.

That's it - just me, some prayers, a bible, some intentions and a pen and some paper.

I am giving up all computer access except my Lenten Program App I am participating in and watching daily mass with Fr. Michael O'Conner in St. Louis Bay Mississippi. (I love him.)

I *will* still be responding to e-mails - so if you want to send me prayer requests I have a whole backside of a 8.5 x 11 inch piece of cardstock blank and ready to be filled. PLUS I have a whole pack of cardstock ready if I should need more. 

I am praying.

I am fasting.

I am reading my bible. 

I will be trying to attend at *least* weekly evening Adoration on Tuesday.

I am hopeful to attend Stations of the Cross on Friday evenings at my parish.

Watching Mass Daily and attending with Cora at our parish, as I can - it is hard to get to daily mass with a toddler that doesn't really want to be there, but I do try. 

I'll be back on Easter Monday, April 6....which is the due date of my new grand-daughter....

I'm betting she will be here before then. 

If you would be so kind to pray that Katie delivers Maisy safely and that Mama and baby are healthy.

 If I can convince you at all - please, embrace this time, don't waste it. Our world needs prayer. My priest said this past weekend the most successful Lent comes when you focus on small attainable things. Do one HARD thing and one EASY thing every day and you will arrive at Easter Sunday better than you were Ash Wednesday.

 I want to do everything I listed above, and I do most of it already...but my rock solid what I am doing is:

My one HARD thing for me is: Fasting. I love food. So...I'm giving it up for Lent. In the bible it says, there is nothing more powerful than prayer with fasting. I'm taking that seriously. I will be eating one meal, every day. Period. The rest of the time. Water. No soda. I'm a Pepsi Zero junkie. It's gonna be hard. But you know what - I can do it.

My one EASY thing is reading the bible. I love to read my bible and think on the words of Jesus. He talks to me when I do so - Right to my heart.

All my love to you all...

*peace*

February 16, 2026 - Lenten Prayer Requests

 Friends...

Lent is starting in just 2 days.

I am creating my Lenten Prayer Journal today and tomorrow.

If you need/desire prayers to be said for you, please drop me an email:

([email protected])

I am honored to pray for those of you that ask....

I believe, whole heartedly, that in order for this world to become what I wish it to be, for ME to become what I wish ME to be, I must sacrifice for others my time and put forth some effort on my part to lift up those neighbors in need.

I don't need to know why you need prayers...God knows.

May each of you have a blessed day!

All my love, 

Vonna 

February 13, 2026 - newsy!

 Well...

this week's been a blur.

Ian and Kamdyn...

my son and daughter in law, bought a home (built in 1964) and a 8.5 acre property. Of course the house needs work, but the property is exceptional and just what they wanted: a small hobby farm to do their thing. It's closer to us (a bit) too, in Solsberry, Indiana - so that's nice!

They closed on the house last Friday, they take possession today and they will begin gutting the house Monday, so....

we are going to tour everything Saturday. 

I'm so proud of them! It's going to be a lot of work and it makes my back ache and want to fall into bed thinking about what they are going to have to do....

but they are young and I am old. So there's that 😂

Miss Cora...

is growing like a weed! I can almost see the brain synapsis growing, making connections. She's getting more independent too...independent play...independent thoughts (ha ha!)...

She's talking quite a bit too...

and she's able to tell me pretty much what she wants, needs, thinks she needs and wants....

One wonderful thing that she does every day is:

FaceTime Poppy at work and eat lunch with him:

Not a very flattering picture of Keith...

but surely one of the most heart warming things that I am honored to watch every day is the dynamics and love between Poppy and Cora. She loves him to bits. Me....well she likes me, but I'm the old bat that takes care of her and changes her diaper when she doesn't want it changed, corrects her when she's wrong and makes her take a nap. 

She absolutely LOVES her Poppy.

Here she is yesterday after her lunchtime FaceTime with Poppy...

Homemade yogurt "ice cream" pops...

she prefers actual ice cream, but granny is trying to follow Mommy's rules better.

BUT today is FRIDAY and that's a "anything goes" day! HURRAY!

So we will be screaming for ice cream come 11 o'clock!

I haven't done any stitching or crafting so far this week BUT....

I did work on church flower work. It's honestly one of the most time consuming things I have ever done for the church - plan out the year of flowers making sure that I have all feasts, solemnities and seasons covered beautifully to celebrate our Lord in his house. 

Here's "memorial" flower contributions...

parishioners may choose a weekend to donate money toward the altar flowers in remembrance of a loved one or in honor of a loved one:

This book represents 52 weeks of the church year...

(this is my copy - I fill in names when weeks are taken)

We have one more week for flowers then it is a bare church for Lent (until Laetare Sunday) where we will celebrate nearing the end of lent and approach of Holy Week.

And since Lent approaches quickly, I took 6 hours and made my Easter Flower order and went over and over (AND OVER) to make sure before I will place it next week that all weeks of the Easter Season (8 weeks) from the Altar of Repose on Holy Thursday evening to the joy of the Resurrection and all the way through Pentecost on the 8th and final week of the Easter season is full and filled with beautiful flowers!

During those 8 weeks we have significant weekends: May Crowning, Mother's Day, First Communion....so it is important for me to remember those weekends and make sure flower colors are appropriate and the amount of flowers/pots I arrange is appropriate.

Then I personally extend the season 2 more weeks with more than typical amount of flowers for:

Trinity Sunday and Corpus Christi

the previous Flower Lady didn't really acknowledge these feast day with arranging and purchasing more flowers. But to me....they should be honored lushly - so I made the executive decision, since this is my 3rd year of doing the church flowers - that I would incorporate lush floral arrangements for these two feast days. Where I grew up Corpus Christi was a HUGE celebration in the church with the First Communicants (that had already had first communion a few weeks prior) would put on their First Communion outfits - suits for the boys, dresses and veils for the girls - and would march into church carrying large armfuls of flowers to offer Jesus. My current church doesn't do that - they do something similar on the May Crowning weekend - but I want the church to shine with profuse multicolored flowers on Corpus Christi - so I will make it so 😊

I guess I do have some crafting news....

I bought like 8 background fabrics for the Princess Parade Quilt that went with or means something to each princess that I will be making....

that was another $100.

This quilt will be $1K before I get it done 😂

At least I'll do the quilting myself so everything from start to finish will be done by my hands...

but the materials alone...the cost has been something else!

However...

I believe I will have enough material left over to do a second quilt for Maisy (or another grand-daughter, if Maisy isn't into princesses...she could be into dump trucks for all we know and granny would make her a dump truck quilt 😁) 

The backgrounds I bought, I think will be perfect! I'll save them for when I do the blocks to share then.

So that's it for the newsy notes for this week...

I get Monday off - for President's Day - so it's a 3 day weekend for me 🥳

Saturday we will spend the majority of it with Ian and Kamdyn, 

but that leaves Sunday and Monday to do some serious something in the crafting department.

Until my next visit....

Happy St. Valentine's Day 💓

and Happy Weekend to all of you!

February 8, 2026 - I did it!

 💣 BOOM! 💣

Moana:

Pocohontas:

Blocks I have so far: 

ONLY 27% done 🤣

and already about 16 - 20 hours put in on it.....

Lord, give me strength (and time) to get this done by July 8!!!!

I purchased all of the fabrics that the original designer used...to a tune of $250....

but before I do a block, I look up the original princess as drawn by Disney. 

Then I pull the fabrics the designer of the Princess Parade Quilt used....

then I go down to my fabric stash and look to see what I have that looks similar to what Disney animation drew, in style and colors.

 I am THRILLED with my choices I used for Moana's outfit. I love her! Pocohontas...I thought using the darker brown would look good because her block was very blah...in the original quilt. Sadly with the Robert Kaufman fabric I chose to use as the dress trim - I see cheetah print (and it's not a cheetah print) like a cave woman on her dress accent 🤣

BUT it's staying! 

I believe my backgrounds are really making the quilt come alive. 

I LOVE the Moana batik background that looks like water and with her holding her oar...perfect!

I chose the orange with leaves and flowers for Pocohontas because her theme song is: All the Colors of the Wind....and I just thought that fabric represented well. 

I'm pleased so far. 

And burned out for this week on blocks....so until next weekend - taking a piecing break and back to cross stitch.

Today, I'm going to pull a WIP out to finish. 

I'm trying to keep track of WIP finishes so that I can (if I want) start new pieces after I finish a WIP.

There is one WIP that should have been finished a long time ago. I'm pulling it today to try to whip it out! I'll save it for a surprise when it's done.

One last little "newsy" bit. If you remember....I finished "Joy" by Shakespeare's Peddler as my "2026 blessing sampler" HERE 

She (Teresa) said in one of her shop newsletters that she was going to have a companion piece to "Joy" at Nashville 2026. 

Well apparently Teresa gave a sneak peek yesterday on Instagram and my friend Joanie sent me a screen shot since I no longer participate or have a social media account anywhere.

Check this out:

From what I can gather, it is stitched again with Limited Edition Gentle Arts threads. 

I definitely will have to purchase this. And I *hope* I can get the thread pack again, because I prefer continuity. 

I picked up the frame that I ordered for "Joy" and all I need to do is take the time to pin and lace it. 

But since I spent literally 12 hours yesterday making Moana and Pocohontas...I just want a read the chart and make an X day...LOL!

I'll be gone for awhile now...I've had a lot to say recently...ya'll need a break from Vonna.

Until next time, my sweet friends, keep marching and smiling!

February 7, 2026

Happy Saturday!

 it is 6:45 am and I have a hot cup of coffee (today it's Bones Blueberry Pancake 😍)

and I'm going to have THE whole day to myself! 🥳

Yesterday...

Katie and Austin had the day off of work so I didn't have Cora. Katie had her 32 weeks Maisy doctor appointment and Maisy is doing phenomenal! Looking great and she has just one more 2 week appointment and then will start going every week until she delivers. I cannot believe how fast this pregnancy has gone. Soon our Maisy will be here! Prayers, please that all goes well and safely! Katie does so well with her pregnancies. I'm so proud of her. Me? I was a train wreck every pregnancy. They always started out good and then ended in an emergency - every one of them. But thanks to the Good Lord all my babies were healthy and did well once out of the belly. My OB told me once I was a microwave and not an oven (all my babies were preemies Katie 34 weeks, the boys 33 weeks and Ellie stayed in the longest at 36 weeks - but I had been on complete bed rest for 16 weeks).

So since Friday was off, I...

went to First Friday mass, came back home, took Ellie to college (I take and pick her up every day - she's a junior at Indiana University studying Computer Science), came back home sat and goofed off on my iPad. Then at 11:30 my husband (who is finishing our basement and took the day off work to mud the walls) came up and said he was at a place where he needed to take a break and would I like to go out to lunch? 

WHAT?!

Take me out to lunch?! If you know us, you know we RARELY go out to eat...

I almost did a cart wheel!

We had a lovely lunch at a local, family owned Mexican restaurant that we like to go to when we do go out. They have the best food, the wait staff is friendly and attentive, the prices are great and I LOVE their chips and salsa! Plus I rarely drink a regular Coke (and I am a Coke girl) and they have THE BEST Coke there. The mix is spot on - crisp and gives you the "burn" - if you know what I mean.

After lunch...

I went up to my "crafty room" as Keith calls it and started pulling fabrics for my next princess. by the time I got them all pulled and cut to start putting the block together it was time to pick up Ellie. 

When I opened my garage door, there stood Cora and her parents who had gone for a walk to come see us...it's so wonderful having them live so close. So we all hopped in the Granny Mobile (my van) and took a field trip to pick up Auntie Ellie. We got home and visited with Poppy for a bit then they went home for supper and Ellie and I went to do the church flowers for this week. 

(The illness Jake and Ellie had appears to be over...fingers crossed...and no one else appears to have symptoms of it...thank God!

Jake had it bad for 3 days...

Ellie had it bad for 6...yesterday was the first day she ate anything solid.)

After Church flowers were done...

I came back home and worked (from 7-10 pm) on my next Princess Parade Quilt Block - "Anna"

and happy to let you know - SHE'S DONE!!!

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

The Anna block:

she is the sister to Elsa and lives in Arandale too, so I used a snowflake background too.

Here is Anna and Elsa together:

I am SO STINKING pleased with the way they look! 

Someone asked me if this is foundation paper pieced and yes - it is. A whole bunch of little pieces on a whole bunch of paper pieced pieces that you have to put together. This block for example had 15 different foundation pieced "pieces" to puzzle together and then create the block. plus the gold and black bodice of her gown and the white streak in her hair...OMGosh...I'll leave it at that.

Here is the whole princess parade quilt as originally designed by LoRayMe (ETSY):

So that leads me to TODAY...

my whole day to Vonna-create! I think I'm going to focus on the Moana and Pocohontas blocks. 

I have some great ideas for both of them and I believe I have "just the thing" for both of their backgrounds. 

I *think* I can get two blocks done today! Maybe...We'll see! 

before I go up, I'm going to go down and go through my 10 tubs of fabric and see if I have more suitable backgrounds for any of the other princesses. 

Since we are finishing the basement (and the unfinished basement had been my finishing room/quilting/crafting room for years) I have A LOT of fabric/fabric kits/crafts down there. Keith told me I have to either: use up most of the fabric or give it away. 

I'm on a quest now because I LOVE Kansas Troubles quilt fabric and I squirrelled away a metric ton of it. I don't want to give it away. So quilting up some quilts is on my "to do" in my spare time list. 🤣 

I'll let you know how I do today later on tomorrow or next week!

Leaving you with some Cora pics from our week...

💖 she's the reason I get up every morning 💖

February 4, 2026

 Mid-Week Check In....

First, I'd like to give my deepest thanks to all of you following me here on this new blog. 

Thank You!

To those who leave comments.

Thank You!

To those who have sent me personal e-mails.

Thank You!

It does my heart good, restores my faith in people and makes me feel like I made a difference with some in what I gave and shared for over 20 years online.

People in this world are searching....

sadly I don't believe most of them know what they are searching for and strike out at anyone who has found it and practices it. Not to say I don't have missteps along the way. For at 55 years old, every night when I lie awake in bed I go over every year in that 55 years and see the missteps and pray that I am forgiven for those I hurt, that they forgive me and pray that I can forgive the hurts done to me. 

To love your neighbor as yourself...

hard.

I only have to gaze at a crucifix and remember what He endured for all the sins that had been done, were being done and would be done...

and that weight, that burden...He felt. 

It's easy then, isn't it - to forgive.

 I had a wise priest friend tell me, "Vonna, you don't have to forget - because you have to protect yourself - but you must always, always forgive. And if your heart won't, pray that it will, and one day you will wake up and forgiveness will be there. Ask and you will receive."

Wise words, I try to live by (try being the operative word there).

Anyway...not what I came online to say today, but obviously on my heart, so out it came.

Perhaps someone needed to hear it, contemplate it as well as I did and do.

I came on to show you this:

 I started working on Cora's 2nd Birthday Quilt. This is block 1:

The Elsa block for the Princess Parade Quilt!

It took me two tries and 6 hours to finish 😆

But look at those points! 

I tell you folks....like putting a puzzle together.

and then the thinking and contemplating on: if I sew this piece this way and press the seams what direction will it go? 

I struggle with orientation in space. 

Period.

I cannot for the life of me orient objects in space. 

It's why I struggled in Organic Chemistry during college and WHY I did not become a doctor 😝

Honestly after reflection I wouldn't have become a doctor anyway, because that's not what God meant for me, BUT Organic Chemistry did it's weeding job on me anyway!

So the struggle was real, but the final piece...Exceptional!

I used snowflake material for the back ground because she is: the Snow Queen! 

I thought I was so nifty for that substitution! (ha ha)

Here's the whole quilt for reference: 

This is the designer's original quilt pattern. Since the time she created it she has designed and included in the pattern Merida (Scottish Princess) and Tatiana (Frog Princess)

you are supposed to pick any 12 princesses you like, 

but Cora likes all of them. 

So....I'm just going to do all the blocks and figure out a 15th block on my own (I may do a name block) and then design my own layout. 

I also would like to jazz it up a bit. 

After subbing snow for the background of Elsa....

I decided I'm going to find material with movement for ALL of the princesses. 

Like a batik that looks like water for Ariel and Moana....

(that's as far as I've gotten - ha ha!)

But even if it would turn out like a small ditsy floral background or tiny dots...something with movement I think will make the quilt exceptional. We will see what I come up with. 

I'd also like to do some corner stones around the princess frames. I'm not one for plain frames. Maybe add a large ricrack around the total frame encompassing the princesses....

BIG IDEAS...

and only one block done! HA HA!

I have until July 8 to get the blocks done, the quilt put together and then quilted. 

That's a lot....

if any of the people reading would like to purchase this pattern you can find it: HERE 

She's On Etsy and the Shop Name is LoRayMe

She has a lot of great patterns. 

The norovirus has hit our house....

😖

Ellie started with it Saturday afternoon.

Jake got it Sunday night.

They both are STILL struggling with it. BAD.

Since I was a microbiologist in a hospital I did infection control along with bench work so I still get alerts from the CDC and it's hitting the Northeast and Midwest right now. 

Waste water samples have seen a severe spike in the last month of norovirus. Sadly, it is turning out to be a new variant and is virulent. 

Early onset of symptoms after contact. 

I am wiping down EVERY surface, every door knob...

I make them wipe the toilet after every use.

We have gone through 2 large tubs of Clorox wipes and I bought 4 more. 

Cora is here every day and I make them stay in their rooms as much as possible. 

I just don't want Cora and her Mommy who is 32 weeks pregnant to get it.

So far so good....

please pray that Cora and Katie don't get it. If I get it so be it, but please spare Cora and Katie.

Marching on and fighting the good fight!

See you next time! 

 

January 31, 2026

Hello Friends....

My friend Joanie and I did a:

 BIG WHOPPING CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA EXCHANGE

I sent her a big box filled with goodies and boy buddy did she ever do me up righteous!

Inside both the box I sent to her and the box she sent to me contained various wonderful things both handmade, stitched and purchased. All wrapped individually. 

I cannot tell you HOW thrilled I was opening this box. 

Do you know what it feels like to have someone know you inside and out? 

To really "get" you as a person?

To know all your good and all your bad and still love you anyway?

Well, Joanie knows me that way....

Honestly though, I'm pretty much an open book to anyone, so for those of you who have come to "know" me virtually, you know me because frankly, I don't have anything to hide, 

so to quote Popeye: "I am who I am". 

I think that fact about me bothers some people....

but anyway, it doesn't bother Joanie. 

We've never met face to face, but because of that fact I think the sharing we've done over 20 years or so has been much more affirming, much closer, not superficial. 

It may have started out superficially, you know "knowing" each other through blogging, then social media....but we clicked, and we stuck.

Joanie is really a fantastic stitcher. 

And not only that, but she's a really great finisher. 

(Although she thinks she isn't)

 I can attest, she is selling herself way short because look at this beautiful piece that she cobbled together using two different With Thy Needle and Thread patterns:

I'm pleased to introduce:

"Stanley" 

his bottom is from the pattern: "O Christmas Tree" 

and his top is from the pattern: "Sweeping Snowflakes" 

Isn't he darling!?!?!?!?

Now the next fellow she stitched for me is:

"Jack"

Jack is from Teresa Kogut's Patreon and he was given in 2024

Joanie really knows my love affair with weighted stand-ups, 

so she stitched him on 20 count light blue linen 1 strand pearl cotton over 2 threads of linen

Isn't he precious?!?!?!?!

She was afraid to finish him, so she sent me the backing fabric and I finished him today!

The snowflake JABCO buttons on his coat was HER idea....

 and they are adorable and really jazz up his jacket. 

He is adorable top to bottom, honestly. 

I had said to her, I don't know, a long time ago...

that I need to stitch some Snowmen stand-ups because I don't have any "winter" themed pieces in my home and I'd like to do some for my mantle.

and there you go....

Currently my Santas by Jim Shore and my own stitched Santa stand-ups

are presiding on the mantle, so I put Stanley and Jack on my thread chest in our dining room.

Golly I'm so in love with them both and I knew you'd like to see them too!

If you all haven't tried a stand-up on 20 count linen using pearl 5 cottons, you seriously should give it a try! They really are darling accents to your seasonal decor! 

OR if you are like me and my Santa's they stay out all year in all the seasons - because personally - I can't get enough of the jolly guy for a month or two a year. 

I need his kind of warmth, love and joy all the year through!

Now back up to my craft room to do some more damage and go over my Joanie to do list for my:

BIG WHOPPING CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA EXCHANGE

for 2026!

It is SO MUCH FUN!

Lots of love, 

Vonna 

😉

 

January 27, 2026

 Hey friends! 

I’m WIP - Busting 😊

I have another finish for 2026!

Holiday Stroll 

By: Teresa Kogut

He’s stitched on 20 count natural raw linen

Using pearl 5 cottons a mix of WDW and DMC in my own color way mainly due to the fact that the fiber companies don’t dye all the colors in a line as regular 6 strand embroidery floss.

He’s going to be a weighted, embellished stand-up. 

I’ve had him in my minds eye like this from the beginning….

Hopefully what I have envisioned can become reality soon. 

My 2026 WIP Bustin’ year is off to a great start! 

2 down and another almost complete! 

I’d say I have less than 100 stitches left on my next finish! 

I’ll easily get it knocked out tonight. 🎉

&&&&&&&&&

On a personal note, when I had my surgery, I had to take my acrylic nails off. 

I’ve had my nails done for 20 years or more. 

So it was a real heartache (to me) when I had to take them off. 

Once I had them off I decided I wouldn’t get them back on again. 

Why? 

Well….it’s expensive. My natural nails were a wreck after (paper thin). And frankly I’ve worried for some time about the chemicals used. 

So…..

That made me start looking up press on nails. 

And researching that….

Turns out that’s the new “thing” 

If done correctly you can do press ons and they can last several weeks (2-3+) 

With a few days in between to let your natural nail rest. 

And it’s a fraction of the cost of salon nails.

I got a set of them at the store last week. 

Cora just went home, so….

I’m going to take a shower, 

Clean up my cuticles and nails in general.

And put on a set. 

See how it is. 

I have large hands for a woman. Man hands (think Seinfeld episode of Man Hands 😂)

I like it when my hands look pretty. 

I’ve been using Halo Taco products and they are awesome! But it seems as if my polish comes off easily after a couple of days.

So I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try some of these press on nails and see how they work. 

I’ll let you know 😊

Off to shower and fix myself up…

We got 16.5 inches of snow this weekend ❄️

And it’s frigid temps out there🥶

So we all have a bit of cabinet fever…

Until next time…

Love and hugs, 

Vonna 

January 21, 2026

 Well….I had a stitching finish, a first for the year!!

Started: 12-31-25 

And finished: 01-17-2026

May I present:

“Joy”

By: Shakespeare’s Peddler - Teresa Venette

Mine is stitched on: 28 count Dirty Linen 

2/2 using the Limited Edition Gentle Arts Threads that Teresa designed the piece using

 

Isn’t it pretty? It really hits all my bells for some reason. 

It will be framed and I am taking it to the fair this summer. 

If you know me, you know I stitch several things twice 😂 

I have lots of kids so, extras are appreciated and given away. 

I’m thinking about restitching this in more traditional colors, deepen the dark pink to red, keep the GAST parchment (ecru) color, keep the light pink (I think) trade the blue for a gold color. 

We’ll see….

I’ve got a lot on my stitching list 😂

I started a couple sets of these darling “Night Before Christmas” felt ornaments by: 

Mmmcrafts

Larissa Holland 

I’ve made these before, but they make really awesome gifts and I’d like a set on my tree. 

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to do these and her directions….FANTASTIC! 

I get the wool felt I use from:

Benzie Designs

of course its another rabbit hole - felt ornaments 😂

My little stinker is teething….she’s cutting her molars….so she’s not very happy.

I know they hurt her, so I have been giving her frozen blueberry “pops”

Here she is after having one, she gets stained blue and so far so has a footstool and thank heavens we have  laminate floors because lots of blue juice has been getting on them… I’m the kind of granny that we have fun…they are little once so we play hard, make a mess and I clean up later. My house is a wreck with toys…and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

For Christmas we do a dirty Santa with our kids, Keith and I. 

This year the present I got was this Bones Coffee and the mug you see. 

I’m forever on a diet, and may I just say these flavors REALLY help my sweet tooth. 

I’m in love with them! 

My favorite flavors are: Salty Caramel Mocha, Toffee Almond Crunch and Blueberry Pancake 😍

Today via email I was notified of Valentine Flavors, I’ll definitely be trying them!

Here’s a link to their website:

Bones Coffee

Lent is coming…

And I’ve been thinking about what I want to focus on. 

I’ve never done the daily Examen, so I am going to try very hard to do this daily.

You can see more about it if interested at: 

Ignatius Spirituality 

And I watch and/or listen to several priests each day. One of my favorite’s is: 

Fr. Michael O’Connor who is Pastor at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church in St. Louis Bay, MS

 He has a podcast called Pod Apostle and Our Lady of the Gulf shares their daily Mass on YouTube as well. 

I am a huge fan….so much so I asked Keith if we could go to St. Louis Bay, MS for our 30th Anniversary in April and just go to Mass every day. 

He was dubious that would be a good anniversary trip 😂 but honestly I’d love to go and just go to mass and see in person Fr. Mike, look at the ocean and be with my husband alone. It’s not far from New Orleans  as well.

Anyway, in a recent podcast Fr. Mike said for prayerful contemplation and meditation one should have a crucifix that you hold in your hands and just look at it and meditate/contemplate Jesus.

So I bought this beautiful one. It’s made by St. Joseph’s Studio. 

I also watch/listen to Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, he is in the order of FranciscanFriars of the Renewal. He’s on Ascension, he has a fantastic podcast. He said just last week that for meditative contemplation it is helpful to have a beautiful piece of art on the face of Jesus….

Which got me thinking about stitching Jesus’s face a 4th time and this time keeping it for me. 

I don’t have a picture of all of mine I’ve stitched but it is a Vervaco kit and looks like this:

It is so beautiful when completed. 

And I love Him so much, I can never think of another gift better to give someone - just give them Jesus. I’ve framed 3 and given them all away. 

Maybe this time I can stitch one and keep it ❤️

I think that my chatty database dump is complete now. 

My baby is wanting to go outside (in this 20 Degree weather) 

And swing 😫

We will do it for a few minutes then I’ll get her back inside. 

She needs some Tylenol, I can tell by her mood her gums are hurting.

Have a really blessed day!

January 13, 2026

 Well….

It’s a new year!

 2025 was painful and not what I had anticipated this time last year.

So some thoughts for my 2026.

As I struggled with my hip last year, my mobility basically lost, pain a constant companion I learned something…I’m getting old. One cannot help but think of the state of their soul when faced with a health issue. In 2026, I’m praying harder, fasting more, loving my neighbor better, praying for my enemies, forgiving and forgetting, reading my Bible, listening to my favorite priests on their podcasts, offering my struggles up and carrying my cross better, trying to live full of humility, going to daily mass either by watching online or physically going to my parish especially focusing on attending adoration and the first Fridays and Saturdays, really focusing on walking the walk of my faith. That’s one resolution. 

Another is I’m not buying anything more until I work through some of my stash. I did this in 2025 and it works! Next time I’ll really buy things is next Jingle Bell Ball 2026. 

Finishing WIPS!

Quilting more!

Retiring…yes you read that right, my finishing business is closed.

I’ve always juggled 2-4 jobs my entire life. My first job was at 12 years old, I babysat Friday evenings, all day Saturday and Sundays for a single mother. When I was in high school I worked at the local grocery store, cleaned a couple of houses, tutored high school and elementary school students (I wanted to be a teacher…got into college and even made it through student teaching and could see the writing on the wall with public education), thankfully I was a double major so went the science path to Clinical Microbiology and Clinical Lab Scientist. After marriage, I worked in the hospital lab for 25 years, at 3 different hospitals, 2 simultaneously, while raising my 4 kids. 10 years ago I retired from my lab job, focusing completely on finishing and my family. Now, I’m nannying my grandchildren. That’s important to me. I’m blessed that I don’t have to work outside the home and we can help our kids by my watching our grandchildren. Thank you to my husband who has always worked so hard and has always saved and invested so that we could live well in our older years. 

It’s Vonna time. 

Here’s some things I’ve got slated: 

This I started on January 1, it would be done if I wouldn’t have ran out of Gentle Arts Parchment 🫤

I’ve got it ordered so hopefully by this weekend it will be a finish!

It is “Joy” by Shakespeare’s Peddler 

I’ve got a new small kitted up that was bought last year with good intentions….you'll see what it is later. 

And tonight I started kitting up a large piece I’ve wanted to do for a long time…

You’ll see more about this too 😊

Miss Cora LOVES princesses, her Mama sent me a picture of a quilt

 (Which I’m pretty sure was a hint 😂) 

So ensued a couple of hours searching for the pattern (it’s called Princess Parade) it is Foundation Paper Pieced….😳 it’s gonna be like doing a puzzle. My goal is to get it done by July 8, Cora’s 2nd birthday. I’ve not told Katie, I want it to be a complete surprise ❤️ she doesn’t even know about this blog and really doesn’t care so we are safe talking about it here 😊 

35 colors of Kona fabrics all ordered and on their way! 

Time Machine, rolling back 13 years: I found this old picture of 8 year old Ellie…with her first and only cross stitch piece. After she got it done she told me…never again! 😂 Katie tried once too, same sentiment. 

And here’s a picture of my sweet granddaughter…I could tell she was starting to not feel good yesterday. Today it was apparent she was very ill. Granny did something I’ve not done in 12 years…go to the Pediatrician! 

Granny was right: She’s got a double ear infection. God love Granny’s sweet baby. 

Tomorrow I’ll have to be squirting saline up her nose and sucking out phlegm…she hates it….and I do too because she screams the whole time. Granny is old school though and wraps her up when she’s really congested and all bundled up, we go outside and rock. Nothing like winter air to clear the lungs. My humidifier is dusted off, cleaned out and ready to roll tomorrow. 

Well folks…

I graduated from PT 7 weeks after hip replacement surgery! I’m a free woman again, that’s why I’m back to nannying. 

I’m walking really well….although PT made my right knee hurt 🙄 

I’m slowly building up my stamina by walking 10 feet further every day. I’m almost up to a mile of walking continuously and I’m routinely getting 6-8000 steps per day with running after Cora. Pleased with that too. 

Back on the wagon food wise too. I want to lose 50 more lbs (down 65). I can do it. 

I’ll be back with some finishes soon, I hope 🤞🏻 

Lots of love, 

Vonna