A message from Madame Muriel

Well hello again from sunny and very hot Arizona. I arrived back to Gracie from Chaira in Italy. My stay is only a short one as I am returning to Cheryl in DC very soon. I have noticed a few changes here...

The first thing I noticed was there is a new car in the garage...... the very next thing was that there is no Zoe. She was so gentle and just liked sitting with me......you can see our first meeting in the picture on the left side bar.... she tickled me with her sniffs. Then I saw a tray with all this thread and beads. Gracie has learned to tat.  She also is getting ready to make another quilted bag and let me help with square placement. There is this large basket in the sewing room with many give away items soon to be posted. I really do not think staying around here is a good idea. It is the summer hot time with monsoon weather.
The temperature was a 108 the other day! We will not be outdoors to often. I had an unexpected long vacation in Italy. Besides, Cheryl has missed me so I think going home is a nice plan, but first I would like to shop for a few Arizona souvenirs to take along.
                    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Isn't is nice to hear from the Madame again? I am sure Cheryl will have some plans for her when she arrives back in DC. As the Madame said, I will be soon posting more of my stash clean out items needing to find a new home. If you look closely at the picture with the tatting, I did make another ornament...a tree with all red beads and now am working on one with all gold beads and then will make one with all green beads. I am trying to get a head start on some Christmas RAK's. Of course I will still send out some spiders and reindeer food.  The hardest part of making one of the quilt square bags is deciding which square to put next to which square!! There are 22 and only one of each print in this one. I have some errand to run and hope to get them done very early...the bank and Post Office both open at 8 AM so that maybe the time to start. With this monsoon season we are having humidity...and of course it is already warm to begin with. I would much rather be indoors with the air on. This year my allergies are acting up and a morning headache is the norm. Guess that is about it for now. i enjoyed our chat today, thank you for visiting. Have a nice day.

A lovely afternoon

I am having a  s l o w  morning...you know, when the thoughts to do are there but the ambition is not. So, instead, I am relaxing and waiting for Perry Mason to come on TV. I am working today and sometimes not to do much on a day of work is a good idea. About yesterday..... I have a friend, Jeanne, who lives in the next courtyard. We also belong to the monthly group, Sun Stitchers. She is a wonderful quilter and is presently doing a nice cross stitch sampler. When she began it, she asked if I would help get her started.... no real need because she is doing just fine.

 A couple of time she requested I look in how she was doing..... no real need to check. Last week we decided to get together one day a week or so and stitch on our work. Finally yesterday I walked over to her place. I did not want her to walk over to me because of the heat/humidity after the rain... yes we finally had rain. The walk is not far. Out the gate of my courtyard around the corner and in her back gate..... blink and you are there. It is just that she is a "little" older than me and , well, next session is at my place. I must remember to take a picture of her sample and get the name. It is coming along nicely. I took my BBD piece  that I am doing for the September exchange. Speaking of the group.... if you were one of those who signed up but have not opted to participate by actually stitching and sending... let Lisa know so she reorganize the names. The rules are simple... and you do not have to participate in all rounds, but at least every other one is nice. Off my speech. Back to Jeanne. We probably did as much chatting as stitching.... you know how it is. One thing leads to another. Just a nice couple of hours together.
As for the rain... on Wednesday around 3:30AM, I heard the thunder... saw some lightening.... then the downpour. The storm rain only lasted about half an hour. I still had to water the plants in the later morning. But what it lacked in water it made up for in the humidity. Now, we really so not have humidity like in other parts of the country, but when we do, it is not pleasant. Today is starting off a bit cloudy as it did yesterday, but the temperature over night remains around 90 so it can only get hot by mid day... 100+ hot. The electric company is happy....
Time to return to relaxing. Glad you stopped by, maybe a picture or two tomorrow....love your kind words and emails....glad you all enjoyed my last post and heart shaped leaf. Have a great day....
Madame Muriel update tomorrow!

missing photos, the heat and a wobbly heart

What a surprise last night when I went back to check a particular post when the picutre was missing! Then I looked back at a few others and the same. What was wrong? Well, I use Photbucket for my uploads and recently decided to make new albums and move pictures around.... bad idea I guess because they went missing from the blog posts! So, I have been trying to reload them to the proper places...need a break from that at the moment.
We, Mr H and I have just been staying in and relaxing with all this heat., Some of his meds are not reacting well to the high temps this year. We know that it is the problem because we are here in Arizona 9 years this month! and the temps have been like this before and not so much of a problem. Lots of things have changed for him since all those surgeries in 2011. For the most part we are accepting and have adapted. Every once in awhile Mr H...   well anyway, we are adjusting to the changes. He is a trouper who never complains. We just deal with the off days the best we can. For him it is a bed rest time for an hour or so. And me, well, I never get bored. I stitch of course. We all have our aches and pains.....
Yesterday I picked up a book I plan to donate to our library sale room and a folded piece of paper fell out and this was between the fold...

a leaf.... a heart shaped leaf that I do not remember anything about! It is a wobbly heart....very fragile and delicate. It makes me think about how many times we fret about something, or shed tears for someone or something, difficult times maybe. But as I looked at it, and how dry it has become, I also think of how resilient we can be. We may wobble a bit now and again, but we do endure when we must. I decided it needs to be protected ....

so in this inexpensive frame it will stay. Protected from damage. If only we could put our hearts in protection.....
I hope that you will continue to visit with me.... listen when I need an ear and lend a shoulder when I need to rest and hugs when they are needed too. I hope that we can smile and laugh together and continue our friendship and share our accomplishments. I shall enjoy my visits at your place and hug when necessary, applaud your accomplishments and laugh and smile with you too. That is what friends do. I value all of you and appreciate your kindnesses. Have a wonderful day....

Busy last week

Well the Doll is a stitched and waiting for a finish...

I will get to my fabric stash and look there before buying any.... I do believe I have something there.
I also tatted a bookmark for EvaP....my mom is not tech savvy and still reads form a book....so I think she will like this..

I added a few leaves and crystals to dangle from the book....knowing my mother she will not use this but rather save it. She thinks everything I make is wonderful! She likes doing the word search books so I thought I would tuck one in the package with this. Can you tell that I am enjoying the tatting? Well I am.

Snowflake number 5 is finished
This was challenging for me...again the directions confused me. I think I will need to type them out my way and of course using the picture is a big help. I think my goal of making 12 is doable at this point. I will try to start the next one this week as soon as I put the directions in my language. I do not know why it is hard for me to follow them as written in this books. After all, I follow knitting/crochet patterns as written as well as beading patterns! Whatever works.
And then there is cousin Janice....

She asked if I would make her a bracelet like my newest... the blue pearls and crystals ...hope she likes this combo of silvery pearls and black crystals. I thought it was a nice look. So as you can see, it has been a busy week past and I guess this next week will be no exception. I find it all relaxing and keeps my mind busy. I just do not sit still without my hands moving!
So many of you sent lovely thoughts with my post about Aunt Angie...thank you.I do not like the month of July for various reasons  but remembering her is nice. It makes me happy to have you visit and to read your kind thoughts and emails...welcome to a new member who has no blog so I can not personally welcome her. Have a great day....
HELP! would like to find out where Madame Muriel has visited in the past...would like to know where it all started. Please... email me or comment here if you have and information.