First CQ Messenger Bag Post 10

I have managed to find a few moments to stitch this past couple of weeks, so I thought I would share my progress.

Front Flap Panel as of July 11, 2013

I believe my last post had a picture of the words, "Faith, Hope & Love" stem-stitched with a variegated EdMar floss.

Faith, Hope & Love section completed.

As you can see, I added heart-shaped buttons and seed beads to fill the area. 

I also added blue silk ribbon lazy daisy stitches to the green stems along the pink ribbon seam below.  Three small pearl beads topped these blue flowers.

Tall button flowers.

Next, I added straight stitches with purplish ribbon to create flowers along the green vine on the lower-right.  A shiny black bead worked perfect as the center.

Three tall stems (stem-stitched) with lazy-daisy leaves were topped with white button flowers.  (Butterflies or bees will visit them soon.)

Gathered ribbon flowers in progress.

Using a combination of 7mm and 4mm silk ribbon, I created 3 gathered flowers.  I hope to find time to finish adding their leaves today.  They may be tied with a bow.  Or, if I am really ambitious, they may be stand in a vase. 

On a more personal note, I found myself wondering why I am not grumpy this morning.  There are several reasons I could feel incredibly frustrated.  Instead, I feel at peace and thankful.

First, I have been battling health issues since the end of April.  After spending way too much money on tests, we know a lot of things that are not wrong (for which I am thankful).  The only certainty is that dairy and I have permanently parted ways.  Yesterday, I got to begin a FODMAP diet.  This is generally used to help people that suffer from IBS.  However, as the body can sometimes react to components in these foods similarly to the way it reacts to lactose, the hope is that there may be another dietary component contributing.

There is a lot of irony to be found here.  I spent the beginning of my summer making strawberry honey jam and blueberry honey jam to avoid refined sugars.  Honey and apples (also used in the jam) are on the list of foods to avoid.  And, I spent 3 days last weekend putting up 20-lbs. of peaches, which are also on my Do Not Eat List.  My eldest will have no competition with his jam from me!

I was thankful coffee is on the list of things I can drink (I think I missed coffee more than cheese!)  However, I only like my coffee with creamer.  And, even dairy-free creamers include casein, a milk derivative and/or soy.  Sigh...  At least pumpkin - my absolute favorite - is allowed!  And my Cinderella pumpkin blossoms have not been knocked off by the moles this year!

To top that off, I woke up this morning to discover my laptop will not work.  With luck, my wonderful hubby will be able to work a miracle with it this weekend.  In the meantime, I am thankful he has a functioning PC. 

Normally, I use GIMP to crop my photos and type in my blog name.  His PC does not have GIMP installed.  So, I took a look at Picasa and learned it does the same things in a fraction of the time!

In the end, a positive attitude is really a choice.  And today, it is not even I choice I feel I have to work at, in spite of the obstacles tossed in my path.

OH!  I also found the coolest shimmery denim fabric yesterday.  It will be a PERFECT addition to the blocks I began assembling for the CQI Winter/Christmas DYB Round Robin that begins on Monday!  Now, I am off to finish piecing those blocks.  I hope to have photos posted later today.

I wish you all a fantastic weekend!
-Renee