Salt Spray Rose Musings

January Update

2008-01-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

It has been weeks since I updated my blog. We are getting back to almost normal after all the illness. DH had a heart attack on Dec. 4th. My father is finally home from the hospital and much improved, has gained a bit of weight and looks stronger but the confusion lingers. It could possibly be the antibiotic they have had him on for so long. He will stop taking it on the 26th and we are praying that the confusion will then pass. It is so hard to see him like this. My DH has been going through so many tests....he also has a back problem so between the cardiologist, the gastroenterologist, physical therapy, and his Internist, we have been very busy with the appointments. The elderly aunt I care for, who has dementia, is going through a new phase in her illness. She no longer remembers that her mother and siblings passed on years ago. She expects them to come to see her or at least call her on the phone and gets very upset when they do not. I then have to tell her they have been gone for years and she will sob and acts as though her heart is breaking. She is so insistent about them that that there is no way to change the subject or be less than honest with her. She also has be diagnosed with lung cancer and the illness is beginning to show. She just had her 93 birthday last week. She has always had a real zest for living but I fear that is changing.

I will be having surgery in Feb. or early March. Not looking forward to it but it is in my own best interest to get this done. With so much going on in my family my stress level has been very high. I have not touched needle to thread since DH heart attack. I try but my heart is simply not in it. I can not focus on the stitching. It is about 40º right now. I am hoping it will warm up enough that I can take Jade Kitty and Murphy Dog out into our court yard for a while this morning and sit in the sun and try to read. The phone will remain inside where I can not hear it ;-) Have a good day all and I do hope to get back to my lovely CQ block soon.

So long...

2007-12-12T18:53:00.000-08:00

It has been a week since I posted to my blog but what a busy week it has been. Dear husband is feeling so much better since his heart attack, he is up and around and getting back to his daily schedule. He received 3 stents to the blocked artery that caused the attack.

My father was so much better a few days ago that he was moved to a wonderful rehab center late yesterday. Unfortunately he was moved so late in the day that he woke this morning alone and in a strange place, he became upset. He does not remember being moved from the hospital to rehab and so he was somewhat confused today. I plan to be with him early tomorrow so mom can take at least half the day to herself. She is not sleeping well and hopefully knowing she does not have to be with dad quite so early tomorrow will allow her a bit more sleep.

I am way behind with the last of my holiday stitching. I just have not been able to concentrate and had no desire to pick up a needle....and I am trying to complete a wall hanging for my hubby for Christmas. I have decided to give up on it as a surprise. I will show it to him and allow him to participate as I finish it as I think he will enjoy that. It is a Snippits Sensation of Cindy Walter's. I am making the Soaring Eagle that will hang above his computer desk. Well that is all for now as I have to be up early tomorrow.

A short post

2007-12-05T18:52:00.001-08:00

This will be a very brief post. My father has been re-admited to the hospital and is very ill. My dear husband suffered a heart attack in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. They did a cardiac cath this morning and tried to do a stent placement but were unable to do so. Smaller instruments have been ordered and they will try again tomorrow. I am very tired but I am trying to be sensible in regards to meals and rest. I will post again when the world slows down a little bit.

Tinting the magnolia flowers

2007-12-03T22:11:00.000-08:00

Here is how I tinted the magnolia Ing... after I made the magnolias on the patch I then dampened each petal with water. It was my intent to use my water color blocks to do this (like the ones we played with as a child...but better colors) however I had misplaced them and so used an Ozecraft dye and diluted the color quite a bit. At first they were too pale so I kept adding a bit more color here and there, building the intensity as I went. Then just when I thought I had gone too far as the color had become quite intense, I decided it would be best to allow them to dry before I ruined them. Luckily when they were dry they were perfect and I breathed a big sigh of relief....they were just right.

Vivian, thank you and I am pleased you enjoyed my blog ;-)

Gena

2007-12-03T22:08:00.000-08:00

I have received some very nice comments and I thank each of you. For some reason I can not get my comment section set up...not sure why but I will continue working on it. Thank you again.

Gena

2007-12-03T18:40:00.000-08:00

This is my current project and I am trying to stay with it until it is finished. The color is slightly off but close enough for you to get the feeling. I made the magnolia branch on the left and then added just a bit of water to each petal.Then with a brush I added just a hint of violet to the base of each petal. I am happy with the result...but the fact that it is so directional bothers me. I wish I had added a rose vine instead. I still have 2 patches to finish. The lower light gold patch has me wondering...a bit of hand embroidery perhaps? I think a button cluster would not work here. In the green patch, below the butterfly I plan to add a few SRE flowers. Seam embellishing is my weakness but I have put it off as long as I can. I am too much the perfectionist and am seldom happy with my seam treatments.I believe this will go into a small wall hanging. It is the first block that I have made for myself. I invite your comments.

Current Project

2007-12-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

2007-12-02T20:37:00.001-08:00

The pink block is from a Floral Surprise international RR I recently participated in and this is my block finished and returned to me. I still have work to do on this block but I am so pleased with it. I stitched the birds in the birdbath and sent it on it's way. The second photo is a motif I stitched on someone else's block for the same RR.

2007-12-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

2007-12-02T20:27:00.000-08:00

2007-12-02T20:09:00.001-08:00

2007-12-02T19:46:00.000-08:00

It is cold and wet in my neighborhood tonight. We had 2.5" of rain in the last 2 days. A wonderful gift but now we are ready to see the sun and feel the warmth again. We are spoiled with approximately 360 days of sun yearly. Tonight I have not felt like stitching as I am a bit achy from the cold Northwest air the storm brought our way. Usually I enjoy having Sunday evening to myself while DH plays poker with his friends. Perhaps I will post photos of a project or two that I have recently worked on. Then I feel a nice warm bubble bath coming on. Night to all.

Blog Name

2007-12-01T02:12:00.000-08:00

I think I have decided to keep the name of my blog as Salt Spray Rose. Why? Well, do I really need a reason other than the fact that I like the flower and the colors I have worked out so far. Off to bed.... I have already turned to a pumpkin, and today is going to be very busy and I must be up early for something I would as soon not have to do, a doctor thing. OH! It has finally rained!!! It has been several months without mesurable rain and in AZ we do tend to get a bit wacky when rain finally comes. I for one love being outside in it. This has been a cold and heavy rain though. About 1.5" so far with more forecast for later today. The large trees surrounding our home will be grateful as well as the grass. More tomorrow

2007-11-30T02:32:00.000-08:00

I am torn between the new name and the old one Stitching in the Desert Breeze. Maybe I will let the few people who have been to this blog give me their opinion? They will have to e-mail me with their ideas tho as the site is not set up for comments yet. What do you'all think?

Grrrrrr....frustration!

2007-11-30T02:04:00.000-08:00

I have been building my blog, however the old name I gave it "A Desert Breeze" is what shows up when I do a search...not the new permanet name I have given it, which is Salt Spray Rose Musings. I don't seem to be able to change it. Ah well, I will keep trying. But enough for tonight...or should say this morning. I have a important appointment at 11 AM today and I need to get some sleep.