Hello........hello........hello?

[StitchinGrandma]

There seems to be an echo in here lately. WHERE is everyone? Surely someone has something to say. ?

Anyone?

anyone?

Bueller? (oh did that show my age?) :D

What's new?

I'll start. HA OBVIOUSLY since I created the thread. :p
I had my 2nd physical therapy appt yesterday. OH wait - did I even tell anyone that I had hand surgery in February? Hmmmmm nope, don't think I actually mentioned it, but think it may have been talked about at one point. I had carpal tunnel surgery that I've needed for years and then at the same time I had the ortho surgeon repair the trigger finger that I developed this past October which was just tons of fun having them both at the same time. At least it was the same hand. Of course, I started developing symptoms of trigger finger on the other hand in that thumb before the surgery and knowing I really was going to need that thumb while recovering I asked the surgeon to give me a shot of cortisone in that one so it would at least help lesson the pain I had in that hand. Once I woke up from surgery and realized what I'd done I wanted to kick myself. I'd forgotten how much pain you have in a joint after getting a cortisone shot and how that can last about 2-3 days. HA. oops. Now my left hand was totally bandaged with a cast from the bottoms of my fingers way down past my wrist on the palm side so that I was prevented from moving my wrist at all and then a huge wrapping over top of that making that hand totally unusable. And then for about three days I also lost the use of the other hand - well the thumb at least but have you tried to do ANYthing without the use of your thumb? It's not easy and darned right impossible. I'd been living like that with my left thumb since October so I knew that all too well.

Anyway, all healed up for the most part other than the thumb he did surgery on because there are some problems with that as it got infected and even now there is an area with a lot of pain still. I'm none too happy with this let me tell you. I had high hopes this would be done and I'd bounce back. HAHA I keep forgetting I'm old now and bouncing back has left the building. :rolleyes: So the doc sent my to physcial therapy to see if she could do something with me because I also did not regain the use of the hand as well as I should have by the last post-op check I had with the surgeon.

Good news now is that after my physical therapy appt yesterday she told me I was doing very well and that next week she was going to remeasure the flexibility and strength measurements since I got back to the doc again on Friday. She said as long as they all look good then I should be done already with the therapy. YAY!

Anyone else have anything exciting to talk about? This board is dying and we really need to have more chatter around here. I can see you are all coming to visit off and on during the day but aren't chatting.

Is there a reason why? I'm sure if there is Jami would want to know. Send me a PM if you want to say something but don't want to make a post. I'll listen. I'm usually around. I'm hoping to start messing with my machine again this next week now that it's been cleaned and has finally come back from the doctor too. They had my machine for four weeks. I started wondering if I'd ever see it again. Now I need to USE IT MUCH MORE!

[lizanne]

Hi Vicki,

Yes I think we are out here, but we are pretty quiet aren't we! I love the message boards, I usually check every day, sometimes twice a day, but I haven't had much to contribute.

Life is pretty good Down Under, we are having gorgeous Autumn (Fall) days, sunny and clear.

I have been busy the last couple of weeks with sewing for my grandaughters. I made a Christening gown for my newest grandaughter who was baptised on the 21st of March and her big sister (2 years old) was so jealous that I made her a pale pink heirloom bishop gown with smocking and beads on the yoke and tucking, pin tucking and lace insertion on the skirt. She was absolutely delighted with it and hardly took it off for days! I gave me the motivation to make her a couple of other dresses with fabric from the stash. I made them in size 3 so that she can wear them next summer.

This week has been all about Easter, my husband and I sing in our church choir and Holy Week is always a very busy time. I have just come in from Vigil Mass and will go again in the morning with all of my family. The evening mass is too difficult for the grandchildren. Then tomorrow we will go to morning tea at my oldest daughter's home and then back here for dinner in the evening. I made dessert for Easter dinner, caramel baked cheesecake with toffee shards and caramel sauce. I will so everything else tomorrow after morning tea.

I wish everyone from the Message Boards a happy and Holy Easter with their loved ones.

Lizanne

[StitchinGrandma]

Yes, you are surely busy this week with Easter coming tomorrow. I figured that was going to be much the reason for many this week for sure.

Isn't it great to make(or even buy) things for our grandchildren knowing one size larger WILL fit the following summer? That's the best part of sewing for younger children I think. You know it will fit since they are all such a uniform size for the most part when they are small. I always do that myself even for newborns. So many Mom's get newborn sized things and they grow out of those so quickly so I usually make or buy 6 or even 9 month sizes to give them so I know they'll get to use them longer.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter and are able to be with their family. It appears we will for sure have two of our boys with us, one with his girlfriend and have a yummy dinner at a restaurant so I don't have to be in pain from cooking AND I know my husband will relax as well. He always picks up the slack when I just can't do any more on holidays when cooking the big meals.

It's always strange when posting to others clear across the world knowing we are looking forward to Spring and saying a very happy good-bye to all the snow and ice here and you are getting ready for cooler weather over there. Today is icky with rain and possible thunderstorms later this evening, BUT it is MUCH better than snow. I'll take rain and I do like thunderstorms as long as they don't get bad since we often get bad storms with possible tornadoes in my area. Those...I do NOT like at all. I'd probably get blown out of my house before I could get my old woman legs down to our basement since I can't do stairs that well and those leading to our basement are the old style where they are practically straight down.

[Emma]

Im here.. Pop in a few times a day to see if anyones updated etc. But I never have much to say. (surely that can't be right? lol)
Been busy lately with helping out sister and her new baby.
I did go fabric shopping while staying with her though. Came back with hmm, 30+m of fabric. I cant wait to get sewing!

But have to wait for the overlocker to be fixed first, arggh. I saw patternreview.com had a mini wardrobe contest going, so I might see if I can make some garments for that.

[katiedoodles]

I was thinking that it was really quiet in here too...so often I post an update or two (three sometimes) but hate to look at the main message board and see my name on nearly every post.

I have been working on refining my digitizing skills:rolleyes: I have a customer who is a Professional Bass fisherman. He just got 6 new sponsors and none of them have a digitized version of their logo. It has been a BIG challenge getting the artwork sent to me in a format that I can use to digitize.

Having spent hours (literally) on one simple design, I realize just how talented Jami is with all of the designs she has here! I wish there were places that offered seminar classes on digitizing only; I know of one person who does it out of her home and it costs $1000 for two days...way out of my price-range!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Easter! My DH and I will have a quiet day since the closest family is nearly 300 miles away:(

[lizanne]

I have been working on refining my digitizing skills:rolleyes: I have a customer who is a Professional Bass fisherman. He just got 6 new sponsors and none of them have a digitized version of their logo. It has been a BIG challenge getting the artwork sent to me in a format that I can use to digitize.

Having spent hours (literally) on one simple design, I realize just how talented Jami is with all of the designs she has here! I wish there were places that offered seminar classes on digitizing only; I know of one person who does it out of her home and it costs $1000 for two days...way out of my price-range!

:(

Yes, Jamie is a marvel. Someone should organise a machine embroidery fair. All of the machine makers could have a stall and the embroidery software and design companies. There could be workshops and tutorials, both machine specific and general. And companies that sell blanks and all of the other embroiderable merchandise could have a set up too. I could have a wander around and lose the whole day. Oops I forgot the threads and notions people and storage and sewing room furniture!

I think Australia is too small a population base for this to ever happen here, but you US girls need to lobby for a fair or expo. I think the best people to organise are one of the magazines that are dedicated to machine embroidery. They already have all the stall takers on their databases as advertisers and they know where to hold the event from the density of their magazine sales in different regions.

What do you think everyone??

[StitchinGrandma]

There are already embroidery conventions here. They are for those in the business however for the most part. There are others that emcompass all though from embroidery, sewing, and quilting and then there are others strictly for quilting. They are spread around the country so not all are accessible to everyone.

I'm glad to see you all finding this and at least posting. We don't always have to stay in the embroidery threads and can say hi or talk about other things. I think sometimes that's why it's so quiet. We have the recipes area, this area for general off-topic stuff and some others. It's nice to come and see someone has posted somewhere we can all comment on.

Jami's been very quiet so I'm hoping she's working on another awesome set we'll all be drooling over soon. JAMI? IS THIS POSSIBLE? :D

[StitchinGrandma]

Im here.. Pop in a few times a day to see if anyones updated etc. But I never have much to say. (surely that can't be right? lol)
Been busy lately with helping out sister and her new baby.
I did go fabric shopping while staying with her though. Came back with hmm, 30+m of fabric. I cant wait to get sewing!

But have to wait for the overlocker to be fixed first, arggh. I saw patternreview.com had a mini wardrobe contest going, so I might see if I can make some garments for that.

It's strange when I don't have something to say too. :p

New babies are always a nice change from sewing since they grow SO quickly. Wow! You did have a shopping spree with that fabric. They must've liked you and hated to see you leave. LOL

[craftmama]

wow and I thought I was the only one checking in but not commenting. Weather here is beautiful, I actually took vacation days over Spring Break and did some spring cleaning. Picked one room a day and totally cleaned it. The hardest room is the computer/sewing room. I wish I could make it larger, but since that's not happening, guess I just need to organize better. Also have been helping DD and SIL with babysitting the 2 DGS. They are now 6 months old and 18 months old. Yes, they are 1 year and 4 days apart. Hope all is well with everyone. Let's get some embroidery done and post, post, post.

[Jami Johnson]

Stitching new designs...is that a good enough excuse? ;)

[lizanne]

Stitching new designs...is that a good enough excuse? ;)

If it were only new designs - no. But taking into consideration - husband, children, extended family, Easter, etc, etc, etc,..... Naw, I think you're good for now.

That doesn't mean we aren't expecting great things from you, it just means we'll cut you a little slack.

[susank]

I've also been in a few times a day but not much to say. Toooooo busy. Family just left now we're off to the cottage for Easter dinner. We have had unusually warm weather and lots of sun. Looking forward to a long walk along the lake this afternoon.

Happy Easter all!

[StitchinGrandma]

Stitching new designs...is that a good enough excuse? ;)

Oooh of course that's good enough Jami. Would I be wrong in thinking that you just gave us a subtle hint that we are going to be seeing something new very soon? :p

[Granny313]

:o I have to admit that I have browsed (occasionally) but not like I should be. Really have not had too much to say either. I have been soooooo busy sewing and embroidering. We are trying to get everything together for a show next week and also we are in the process of setting up a website. I thought it would be alot easier that it is. (I have hardly any computer skills) :( I wish that you were here to help me Vickie!!!!! We just had Spring Break last week and I kept the grands (4) all week during the day so of course I was half dead at night. My husband retired from his job on April 1st. He is going to go to work at another company, BUT until then - he is here all day and you can imagine how much I get done while he is here! (LOL) ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.........:eek:

They upped my methotrexate dosage for my RA and it is really making me tired. I guess I have to get used to the dosage. Anyway - I am anxious to just spend some alone time to do some spring cleaning, etc. Maybe one day!

I will try to do better about checking in and chatting. :rock:

[StitchinGrandma]

I would have been dead trying to keep up with four grandkids. I'm afraid you are much braver than I ever could be. Oh and you might think I'm the best thing since sliced bread but not even close and surely NOT in website design. I learned that while I was working toward a computer information specialist degree back in 1999-2001 but I stopped that when my knee blew out and I met my hubby. :D He was much more fun than classes. Now I am afraid I've forgotten more than I ever learned now. You have questions about websites David is the one to ask around here. He's the #1 guru. Things in website design have advanced now much further than the classes I was taking so I have tons of new stuff to learn and I did some programming classes back then and honestly had tears trying to write my programs. I cannot imagine working on the more advanced programming stuff that's needed now if you want to create a website without using software that does it all for you. I'd be bald if I tried that again. :p

I got one of my meds upped too and I could not stay awake at all. I hated that feeling to be sitting here one minute wide awake and the next asleep waking up over an hour later. That was happening all day long! I dropped that med back down to where it was before because I will NOT go through life in pain this way AND unable to stay awake. I'll deal with the pain thankyouverymuch.

Tomorrow I have hopefully the last physical therapy appt for my hand and then in the afternoon my granddaughter and oldest son will be coming to visit me/us. :dancing2: YAY! I am thinking of taking her to Monkey Joes, an indoor play park near us but I'll see how badly the therapist kills my hand. They are leaving again early afternoon Friday :( and sadly, Friday morning I've got 2 doctor appointments too. Needless to say I won't be around too much for the next few days so you guys behave.

[Sew So Happy]

Hey Vicki and everyone else!
So sorry to not be visiting like I should be and like I used to! Miss you guys something awful. Keith has been gone again, since Jan 3rd. He is in Iraq this time and gets home around the 11th of May. It has been nonstop around here since.......let's see, always! When the new pool got put in last year, that was all she wrote and now baseball season is upon us. Abby, the almost 4 yr old is playing tball this year. Will have to post some pictures.
Staying busy with embroidery orders, mostly applique! I wish there was applique on here, hint, hint!
Vicki, glad to hear you are getting better. Take care of yourself!
Will try to get on here and post some.
I had Abby's pictures taken last weekend. Here is the site, www.mdvstudios.net Click on Children and then clients. The password is herndonshowers. She turns 4 in May!

[katiedoodles]

Hey Vicki and everyone else!
So sorry to not be visiting like I should be and like I used to! Miss you guys something awful. Keith has been gone again, since Jan 3rd. He is in Iraq this time and gets home around the 11th of May. It has been nonstop around here since.......let's see, always! When the new pool got put in last year, that was all she wrote and now baseball season is upon us. Abby, the almost 4 yr old is playing tball this year. Will have to post some pictures.
Staying busy with embroidery orders, mostly applique! I wish there was applique on here, hint, hint!
Vicki, glad to hear you are getting better. Take care of yourself!
Will try to get on here and post some.
I had Abby's pictures taken last weekend. Here is the site, www.mdvstudios.net Click on Children and then clients. The password is herndonshowers. She turns 4 in May!

Oh my goodness, she it so adorable! Thanks so much for sharing the pictures with us! I don't know how you will choose from all the pictures, each one is so good. The photographer is great, I really like the use of outdoor spaces rather than the traditional backdrops.

[StitchinGrandma]

How nice hubby gets home again just in time for Mother's Day. ;)

I'm doing ok with the surgery - the rest of my body we will not discuss because it's giving me fits and it is far too depressing to talk about right now. I'm seeing the doc on Sat. morning now since I was able to move my Friday appt. I'm hoping she doesn't just take me out back and shoot me although it may feel better. HA Today though, I had my physcial therapy appt. and she did the measurements and I'm almost back to what normal is so she released me pending the surgeons' decision tomorrow when I see him.

Just stopped quickly to see how things are going here and to check for any new spammers since this morning. My son and granddaughter are about five minutes from our house so I'll be away from the puter for most of the night and tomorrow until they leave. I might be able to sneak in and check a few times but won't be spending much time on the computer since I don't get to see her very often at all. OOh just heard a car door so they must be here now. YAY! See ya.

[lizanne]

Vicki, how did your visit with your grandaughter go? How old is she?

Everyone is very quiet, even more quiet than they were when you started this thread two weeks ago. I miss the chatter, maybe we need some new designs to spark us all up.

[StitchinGrandma]

Vicki, how did your visit with your grandaughter go? How old is she?

Everyone is very quiet, even more quiet than they were when you started this thread two weeks ago. I miss the chatter, maybe we need some new designs to spark us all up.

It went great. We had lots of fun and I followed through with my threat that I was not cooking so I could spend time with her and everyone else. Well, other than I did surprise everyone and make my 'famous' biscuits and sausage gravy since they all love that. One of my twins has a girlfriend and she was here too and has not had my biscuits and gravy yet and since it was her birthday too I surprised them all and she finally got that. On our way back from my doctor appt. that Friday morning, hubby and I stopped at the grocery store and got all the stuff we were missing for that breakfast and got a birthday cake too so she was really surprised. That was a good end to the week for her since she finally got that breakfast, a cake for "dessert" after breakfast LOL, a card and a nice Visa gift card too.

Carys, our granddaughter had a blast since she not only was very happily surprised to see the Easter bunny had stopped here to drop stuff off for her but there was also a Valentine's gift for her too. My son was just THRILLED with me for buying her bubbles. :p but that concern was fixed before they went home Friday. She wanted to do bubbles and kept asking so before they left, we all went outside to watch her do bubbles. The set I bought her had about 4-6 different bubble tools and a small bottle of the bubbles solution. It was a really cheap set so the tools I figured wouldn't be the best but would work at least once. I took tons of pictures of her with the bubbles but they are still on my camera since I've been SO sick since my doctor appt I'd spoken about a few posts back. Anyway, I'm sure some of those pics will be adorable because as she was leaning way over to blow into the bubble wand I got a number of pics with her standing that way as the bubbles were coming out in front of her at the same time the bubble solution was pouring out onto the ground. It was just so funny. We were all getting to the point of wanting her to hurry because a bottle of bubbles lasts forever when it's one child trying to go through that entire bottle. :rolleyes: Once so much time had passed we stopped alerting her to the fact the solution was pouring out of the bottle. LOL We are SO bad. :D

[lizanne]

My two & three year old grandchildren are the same with bubbles, they just adore them and they are one of the least expensive entertainments. I would love to see a photo when you're feeling better.

I love your grandaughter's name too, Carys is so pretty for a little girl and it grows with a person, and doesn't sound childish or ridiculous like some of the modern names over here. I know a girl called Rainbow and I wonder how seriously she'll be taken if she decides to be a lawyer or a policewoman.

I'm pleased the family visit was such a sucess for you all, you needed somthing to lift your spirits after the health problems you've had to contend with and it sounds like it was a real tonic for you.

[StitchinGrandma]

My two & three year old grandchildren are the same with bubbles, they just adore them and they are one of the least expensive entertainments. I would love to see a photo when you're feeling better.

I love your grandaughter's name too, Carys is so pretty for a little girl and it grows with a person, and doesn't sound childish or ridiculous like some of the modern names over here. I know a girl called Rainbow and I wonder how seriously she'll be taken if she decides to be a lawyer or a policewoman.

I'm pleased the family visit was such a sucess for you all, you needed somthing to lift your spirits after the health problems you've had to contend with and it sounds like it was a real tonic for you.

Oh, I totally agree. Kids LOVE bubbles and dogs are hillarious to watch chasing them too. It was good my son Rich didn't have his dogs with or they would have gone nuts trying to get them before Carys got them totally released off the wands. :rolleyes: They are tiny VERY overly active dogs but so cute and the one loves to cuddle so I can't get that mad at things they do. They would have been jumping over Carys' head though.

Anyway, I will see if I can manage to slide this chair across the room to get the one thing needed to attach to my hub to download the pics. HA. Isn't that so sad? I am in so much pain from the coughing I've been doing all day/night that I can't even find the energy to roll this chair five feet for that one little thing? Ok...........well........maybe SOME of the reason I still haven't is because my brain isn't working very well right now too since I could obviously get that part as I have not obviously been sitting in this chair without moving for the past 7 days straight. :p Once they are uploaded to my computer it's going to take a little bit to process them all because I was constantly snapping pics so there's a ton of them with her outside that day.

Thank you for the compliment about Carys' name, not that I had anything to do with that choice. ha. I actually had never heard that name before when I was told what they were going to name the baby if a girl. I tried very hard to sound interested/excited upon hearing it but it's possible I wasn't very good at that attempt. It is a name that grows on you I think and now it just fits and doesn't sound strange.

This has been a horrible year healthwise, you're right. And I can also now vouch for the warning on a heating pad that says, "DO NOT fall asleep while using". Trust me, there IS a reason for that warning. :confused: And I'll be sharing my stupidity come Friday with all those who will be doing my mammogram. :rolleyes: :banghead: I have actual real burns on one 'side' that I'm positive they'll grill me about and then think they need to warn me too. I swear as badly as I feel if they think they must lecture me on why that should not be done again I may have to clamp their little heads into that wonderful vice instead of that part of me. HA I don't think I'm that stupid more than once.

And now my poor husband is coming down with this stuff that I have we are thinking. :( He doesn't need this anymore than I did. He also has an appts with an Orthopedic surgeon tomorrow to take a look at his right knee because he's having a lot of problems with it going out and having pain. He's bummed because he wanted to sign up at work for the golf league this past week. Poor guy was looking forward to it too because he hasn't been able to for the past few years for one reason or another.

[lizanne]

I can relate to the part about the brain not working right. I am becoming so scatter brained, my husband blames it on hormones and I hope it is in a way, because then once the hormones settle down the brain might re-set and go back to functioning as normal. Growing old isn't all it's cracked up to be!