A Tribute to Me

This is a brand new week, so whatever is going on in your life, today is a good day for a change.  The past is what it is, "The Past" and that's why it is called the past.  Unfortunately, we cannot jump back into the past to undo the wrong turns, because if we could a lot of us would jump feet first including myself (especially knowing what we know now and how it can affect our lives).  Our past failures (whether it be finances, drugs, some type of disorder) we all need to try to motivate our own self, because a lot of people do not want to see you succeed (so we need to figure out how we can motivate ourselves for Change and what make us feel good).  Sometimes we bring people into our lives thinking that man or woman can complete us, when we cannot complete ourselves, so how do you think someone else is going to complete you?  I talk to my son on a daily basis about my life experiences, the wrongs I have done and the wrong people I brought into my life (hoping that somewhere in his journeys if he is faced with a particular situation that I have went through, maybe what I have expressed to him can make him do things differently).  It can take one false move and years of fixing (if it can be fixed).

Moving to the present, I have been and will continue focusing on me and making sure my son succeeds in life.  The government and people can say our children are grown at age 18, but I am here to tell you differently (not so).  Our children will always need us in some form or fashion.  No need to throw them under the bus when they turn 18.  Some of us (grown-ups) still need help, hello!  So why figure our children are better than us. 

Over the weekend a great singer with the voice, Whitney Houston, passed away.  Beautiful, classy woman, full of grace.  Paragraph one describes her, me and all the other women that have succeeded and reached stardom.  Sometimes we have to get rid of obstacles in our lives to continue to succeed and hold onto that stardom.  I pray that Ms. Houston is at peace now.  Lets keep Whitney's daughter, Bobbi, and Whitney's mother, Sissy Houston, in our thoughts and prayers. 

Thank You Lord!

This is the most handsome pictures I have ever seen and not just because this is my son when he was 5 yrs old graduating from kindergarten at Heritage Christian Academy, the other is now at 18 yrs old s senior getting ready to graduate from Bunn High School.  I am one lucky Mother! 

We all have stories to tell if told truthfully, and I was a single woman at age 25 pregnant with a boyfriend.  Now boyfriend could have ran for the hills, but we put our hands together and got married.  Even though my marriage lasted 4 yrs (by my choice), I will not speak bad of my son's father because he was 22 yrs old at the time I became pregnant  (we were both very young), but he stood by me at a time I needed him the most and gave his son his last name.  I raised this young man from age 4 to present as a single parent.  As the slogan for the Marines (I believe it is the Marines) used to say, "It is just not a job, but an adventure"..... so true.  My son and I have had our ups and downs, but more ups then downs.  I am glad that I experienced all the teenage years, because my son dished them out but I also cleaned them up, stood firm, had a great grandparents system support and most importantly stayed prayed up and at times cried onto the Lord.  But look at us now.  I never gave up on my son doing some of those turbulent teenage years (I was considered the mean bitchy mom, and probably some more names that I don't know about).  Why you ask?  Well let me tell you......, doing those good times, remember God has to let us go through bad times to appreciate the good times.  Well doing those bad times and I knew of some of the places my son visited, guess what.... I was there too!  Yes, I was (no shame to my game to find where my son called himself hanging), cannot turn an ear or an eye to some things when trying to  raise our children to have character, morals, responsibilites do I need to say more?  I could write a book, but let me tell you when times get tough, I got tougher and that is exactly what I did.  I did not consider myself my son's friend (he has plenty of them), but I was mom and will always be mom. 

There are so many stories of parent(s) killing themselves and taking the lives of their childen.  There are so many stories of parent(s) not knowing where their children are.  So if you know where your children are whether they are going through a storm (hang in there with them, even if it means Tough Love) because after the storm has passed and that child is ready to change and do better, Let the Good Times roll. 

It has been a joy watching my son through his various stages of growing up.  Take a peek.....and enjoy the pictures because I have enjoyed being a Mom and taking the good with the bad.  It gets no better than this yall!!!

I am ready and looking forward to starting on the Buffalo Soldier.  As you can see I have my war gear ready.

This is so exciting, I can hardly contain myself.  This time instead of displaying bits and pieces of this piece, I will just display the whole piece at one time.
Sharon Barrow and I are the owners of the name "Heritage Crafts."  If you think I am good at cross stitching, you need to take a look at hers.  If you are interested in joining our online Yahoo group, please go to http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/heritagecrafts2011/.  We are not sure as to what directions we are headed with Heritage Crafts, but it is all in the making and if it is God's will it will happen. 

I have been an Ebay purchaser and seller for a while.  I am still looking for those out-of-print African-American cross stitch charts/patterns and if anyone knows of a great site that sells these, let me know.  I have lots of charts, but I know there are still more to be found.   

I am back.....I became lazy with my stitching. Isn't this one good looking cross stitch, right in time to Honor all our veterans and soldiers, plus with February (Black History Month) around the corner, right in time to Honor all the black men that served back in the days and were not recognized for their services or hardwork. I am hear to say Thank You for a job well done!

Stay tune for the next cross stitch art work, Buffalo Soldier, that will be posted mid-February. 
 
 
 
The following are two cross stitching that I had done many many years ago and both were framed by me.  I plan on stitching
Women's Work again for myself.  The colors are brilliant, and the baby on the mother's back is just awesome.  What we women go through for our families!

                                                
                               
                        Women's Work (given to my hairdresser)

Mickey & Minnie (given to my male coworker as a gift to him and his wife's new baby daughter)

TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Friday)!!!!  I hope everyone have a wonderful and safe weekend. 

My plans for this weekend is to have finished the Fight for Freedom cross stitch and started on the Buffalo Soldier cross stitch.  Once they are both completed, I am going to have each framed in identical frames and hung in my living room.  They are going to make a great attraction in my home.

Above, I have finished another section of The Queen of Cats, and beginning to start a new section (do you see the needle and thread?, wow!).  This piece is taking longer than planned but after it is all said and done, you will never find another piece like this one hanging in no one's home but Tywanna's home.  Whom in their right mind, besides me, would tackle such a large piece of work.  Take care everyone and be blessed.

Isn't this a cute hat?  Hat was knitted by your very own, Tywanna.  This hat along with many other knitted hats, knitted mittens, and knitted scraves were distributed to the Carying Place and the Y.

I am still in awe and should have cross stitched this piece a long time ago.  The Fight for Freedom is coming along nicely.

I am so in awed as to how this piece is coming along.  Too bad I am not a painter do I would be painting some awesome scenes on canvas, but cross stitching is the next best thing.  I love taking a piece of blank fabric and watching it come alive with a picture.  I guess that is how a painter feels when painting on canvas, eventually the picture will come to life.

This piece is called Fight for Freedom.