The French Knot

How bad have I been? I've finished my cancer treatment but not the sampler I started when the cancer was discovered, it is my dedication to my illness.

Samplers (old ones), are usually morbid and a tribute to a relative or friend who has passed on. They were started with children between the ages of 7 to 15 either because the child was sick with polio, or the general family felt the child needed to learn the stitches.

I've created a few but this is the first I've done for myself.

 This is going to be a large tree, the french knots are a after thought because I felt the sampler was looking pretty plain. The apple tree was born!
The first photo shows how to start a french knot, pick a spot where you want the knot to be and draw the needle/thread up from beneath.

 Then...holding the tread in your non dominating hand, wrap the thread around the needle starting at where it comes out of the fabric. I find 3 wraps are good. The more the wraps the larger the knot.

 Holding the tread taut, re-stitch near the area of entrance for your floss.

 You can see where the created loop makes the knot.

 Who ever thought this technique up is a pure genius!

The effects are stunning. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn, C&G Design.

Congrads grad!

Okay, how time flies. I can remember the day my son was born because it seems like yesterday but it was a few years back.
You can't see his feet in the above photo but he donned on sandals. My husband told him he looked like Mosses. ('cept the cell phone)

How lucky to have such a nice intro.....

He blew a kiss towards the audience which was sweet but at the same time...."Wasn't there a high school who took a diploma away for such a thing?"

True to cause....he was one of the first to throw his cap.

 *Sob*

C&G Design                                                                                                                                                                                      

Words and photos by Dawn, C&G Design.

Hair today, gone tomorrow

Alright, we will have to do this post backwards. Since I've been AWOL for the last 6 months, an update was due for my editor and it is different from the other editor, it might take awhile to get use to. The other editor loaded the photos with the last one on the post being uploaded first. This editor is opposite and I've never been able to move the photos around either. Oay vey.

Anyway, the first photo of me was snapped yesterday. For close to 30 years I've had hair down to my lower shoulder blades, now it is short.

Here is the back and you can see how baby fine it is, I've snipped the top and the sides in hopes it will grow faster.

This is the middle of my illness.

Then.....my husband cutting what was left. Only the sides were to my shoulder but the back was bare. I held the sides back with a hair clip, after awhile that didn't work much either. I saw so much of it on my hospital bed in February, I decided time to cut it off. Control with cancer is important to the patient. Oh yah, I did go blond just to see what it looked like.

Remember our nice congressman Weiner? Well, Good Morning American analyzed his facial mannerisms and talked about his lying pursed lips. The facilitator commented that a furrowed brow means sadness. That's all I see in the last two photos, it seemed like a very long time before I'd be done with chemotherapy and so many things happened.

Here I am though, and today.....I laugh with life. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn, C&G Design.

The Big Baby

Hi there! I'm back on track, goodness. It has been six months of recovery but I'm cancer free today. Once I 'm back in the swing of things I'll update my health and the experiences that occurred in the last 10 months.
Today...I want to show what we purchased last Sunday (fathers day!).



She is a very large bisque baby, and I just love her! We were informed of a new flea market inside a old Ames building and what a nice place! And what a big place! Hubs had been saving for weeks to take me there, what a guy!

I love her little/big face.......

She wears regular toddler clothing and check out the shoes.

Someone had handmade this little darling.....except, they used terrycloth material for the arms and legs and terry stretches, not good for this application .

Anyway, I hand washed her clothing (except the underwear) and re-dressed her.

Isn't she adorable? C&G design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.