Thank you

Hi everyone. 

 Hope you are having a good start to an even better day.  Just a quick post to say thanks.  Your concern over my sister's situation meant a lot to me so I thought a little gift would be in order. 

I made a sampler box

lined it with a burlap postcard paper

finished it with my ratty looking paint style

and if you would like to enter the offer, please leave your name, initials, or email on this post only.  I will draw a name this Friday, 4/26, at 8pm EST.  I appreciate your words and visits and probably don't tell you enough.  Not being the kissy huggy type, it's par for the course.  But I want you to know that I really do appreciate your kindness and friendship.

A big thank you again!

 

 

Tag - you're it!

Greetings!  My followers reached 600 this evening, and you know what that means!   Yep.  Another offer.  I've never put restrictions on any giveaways and decided this one would be for followers only, and then of course changed my mind.  No restrictions.  Very soon I will be selling these sampler tags with snap rings, for attaching to anything you would like, or to slip on a larger floss ring. 

 I will offer a set of 3, your choice, to the name drawn on this Sunday 3/10 at 8pm EST.  Please leave your name on this post only, anonymous PLEASE leave your name or initials.  There may be more designs , but these are my favorites so far.  If I don't like something, I don't sell it!  They are stained wood, 2 1/2" x 3".

So there you have it.  Don't you get tired of me pushing things on you?  Always trying to get rid of something!

Have a good evening ~ leave your name only if you want to enter.  Thank you!

An anniversary is a'coming

Greetings from snowy Pennsylvania.  Not much.  Just enough to aggravate me.  Nitzy (short for Nitwit) loves it.  Since all three love cardboard boxes, I open the flaps and tape them at the corners so they have a deep box to play in.  Some are completely covered with large plastic bags and taped to stay dry.  My deck looks like inventory day at Wal-Mart.  

So here's the deal...my blogging anniversary will be February 14 and you know that means another offering.  I clicked on my blog archive and went back to the very post here.   One thing about that post is not true.  I was ashamed to admit it in the beginning, but I DO eat treats and chocolate while stitching!  I guess I've come a long way, admitting to a multitude of needlework etiquette failures through this last year.  I continued reading and saw that some finishing methods changed as did my attitude about stitching properly.  The only constant has been menopause, my love of samplers and santas, and I still have trouble cutting into a full yard of linen.

  My side bar shows 16 giveaways in these two years, but I can't remember to always label a post and I think there were more. 

 This one will be for the tissue box, since I received so many nice emails and comments about it.   I can always make another for myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's dark brown with a tiny bit of red, some dark blue, and natural wood showing through the primitive paint finish on  1/4" wood.

 If you would like to enter for the drawing to be held Valentine's Day at 5pm EST, please leave your entry in the comments on THIS POST ONLY.  No-reply must leave email or name and initials.
 
I want to sincerely thank you all for the friendship and help through blogging these last two years.  I was so afraid to start, and now so glad I did.  I seriously doubt that I would have started stitching again without feeling this connection to others who share their needle's work and inspire many.  For us gals without a shop, your blogs are our source for new items, and old ones we've missed, ideas for finishing, along with the sharing of your tips.
So again I thank you, not only for your visits with me, but for inviting me into your stitching realm.
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Sampler Pear V

Happy New Year!

Hello to everyone.  I decided to post January's pear a few days early.  I think the verse is appropriate for starting a new year.  Instead of using mylar in this one, I chose a heavy weight fusible interfacing which also worked well to hold the shape. 
Hope you like it!
Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year.

 

Thank you for visiting ~ enjoy your weekend and stay safe.

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Your Christmas offer

Hello everyone. The sun is out and it ain't snowing. But my pants are tight and my roots are showing. Hey. You can't have everything.

But I did get another little tree done and bought more red bells! 

Decision made....

I decided on an offer that doesn't require packing or standing in lines at the post office, plus, it gives you the option range of primitive to elegant! 

Please leave your name on THIS POST ONLY to enter a drawing on December 19 at 8pm EST, for a $25 gift certificate at your choice of one of the following online shops. No need to tell me your choice until you are picked as the winner.

Down Sunshine Lane

Anita's Little Stitches

The Cottage Lane

123 Stitch

That's it! 

Thanks for participating - make sure you leave your name if you're anonymous and your email if you are no-reply.

Thanks!

Something pink for you, and a rest for me!

Hi all.  It's October.   *#&*!  The month of pink.  In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I am offering an 18 x 25 piece of a beautiful shade of pink linen (30 count?), matching jumbo rick rack called Sweet Peach that is discontinued, Wildflowers in Rosebud, Cherry Cordial, and 2 skeins of Parfait.  Rosebud doesn't appear to be a full skein.  If you would like to have this small offering of pinkness, please leave a comment stating so.

Thursday evening I received a call from my carpenter/construction wizard, saying he had Friday free and could come over to work.  YES!!!  We had to have 5/8" dense and heavy underlayment removed beneath carpeting in preparation for 3/4" wood flooring.  A nightmare, and we knew it would be.  It was nailed every 4 inches so the pry bars were breaking off pieces that went flying through the air along with a heavy dust.  I was carrying garbage cans filled with pieces and nails outside, and anything bigger than 5" was taken dragged to the spit to burn.  I begged him to take breaks!!   He works alone, fast, and hard and I could barely keep up.  We didn't have a dumpster or any plan since it was such short notice.  But I'm not complaining - it's done.  Here he is on the last few nails after cleanup, and my fire with the only two larger pieces on top of the burning smalls.  This pile was only 1 hour into the work, and we worked for 6 hours.  Before someone asks, no we don't roast lambs here - we don't eat babies including veal.  He put the carpeting back down over the plywood and it's ready for the new floor.  Furniture is back and most of the "stuff" from the room is somewhere - not sure where - don't really care.

I am sucking down the Advil again today and almost fully recovered but I have to say - I really felt my age.  My wrist brace made it more difficult and my sore leg didn't help either.  But there's nothing wrong with a little hard work and aches are only temporary.  He'll be back to remove the ash floor in the kitchen and put down whatever we decide throughout.  I want pine.  No one agrees. 

I had a wonderful surprise as I dragged my butt to the mailbox.  Penny was so sweet to send me some strawberry corn!!  Thank you again Penny!!  I plan on making a garland. 

I also forgot to mention in the last post that the flexible cutting mat for the kitchen can be used in place of Mylar if you can't find a nice piece. It's much heavier but still flexible.  I tried it for a colonial style sewing bag/pouch but being so flexible, it didn't keep the larger piece's top edge from bending when hung from its straps.  Usually I slip the bottom of a wire hanger or a small diameter dowel rod in the top edge to hold it open and flat.  That works great. 

A few stitchers have stitched my pear!   The first one is here -eefsneedle. 

The second is found here - jubama. She used Crescent Colours.   Love the photos and both used a real stem.  I'm so glad to see these and am happy you like the design.  It's a quick stitch! 

 I'll end on this observation ~ really~ where did the phrase "worked my ass off" come from because in 61 years, it's never happened.  It seems to hang lower and get wider with every job, but it doesn't appear to be leaving.  Just curious.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend.  I appreciate your visit and have so many new blogs to check out!    Don't forget - if you want the pink supplies, please let me know in a comment on this post.  I'll draw a name next Friday at 9pm.

Stay safe and thank you so much for visiting!!

For whom the bells toll

WHAT?  Does Blogger not understand there are women in various phases of menopause and PMS?  Are they crazy?   No choice any more, we have to accept the new format.  It's really not too different except for drop down menus and of course, I can't find my dashboard.  I posted a question in Google groups and received a reply that I need to go to www.blogger.com/home to see my dashboard and reader lists.  There is supposed to be a blue button on all format pages to click which takes you back to dashboard, but I don't have one.  So going to the home page and signing in, staying signed in, will take you there.  I saved it to Favorites and moved it to the #1 position so I can click readily.  I'm sure we'll get used to it and when the kinks are worked out, it will be running smoothly.  Until then, I hate it.

I've been visiting the doc getting ready for my EVLA (burn your varicose veins with a laser and catheter) in office surgery which is next Tuesday and then again two weeks later.  I got mapped today and although it's just a wavy thick blue line from ankle to crotch, I feel funky.  My first rub off tattoo at 61.  And my only. 

 I'm also working on a few boxes, one of which is the Mary Antrim that recently sold for over a million.  I did this on 3 sizes of round boxes. It's only the top portion and it's been in public domain for a while.  I wish I could do antique samplers on the boxes but I've asked sites that feature them and was told no every time.  They didn't stitch them and if a pattern is not charted for sale, I don't understand the problem.  Anyway, I'm still working on Mary when I can and thought about changing the blue again.  It's too light, and I'm too fussy about some things and too lax about other aspects of stitching.  Still want to talk about that but not today. 

This post is for ................ another little giveaway. 

I was at Hobby Lobby and Michaels today after my appointment and realized that rusty jingle bells are not easy to find.  So would you like some?  Don't know if you have access to any but thought it would be a nice offer for Christmas ornaments.  Now these are not painted rust, they are real rust!  I wipe them and then slide on to a very tight string line and spray them with a clear matte finish.  There are several sizes. 6 of 25mm, 45 of 18mm, 50 of 12mm, and 25 of 9mm.   So what do you think?  Interested?  If so, leave a comment on this post only and I will announce when the entries will end in a few days.  With the blogger changes, I'll give it at least a week. 

 Did you notice the miniature corn?  I've had it for years and wish I could find more.  They are so sweet and I just love the red strawberry corn.   I should probably check online.

For Joyce, sorry I can't answer your email since you are no-reply so I'll post it here.  I use Google's Picasa to do a collage for headers. Click on Help, How to, Edit and Create, Slideshows and Collages.  It will explain what to do.  Lots of options for sizes and layouts and you can preview it all first before saving.  It took me a while to get the hang of it and since it's been a while, I forgot most of it.

That's all I have.

Don't forget - tell me in the comments if you would like to be included in the bells offer.
Hope your weekend starts well and ends fabulous. 

Welcome to new followers and thank you all again for taking the time to visit!

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I made a decision for your gift!

Hi everyone.  Hope this post finds you well and safe!  I don't have a lot of time to post about stitching, or even to stitch!  My contractor showed up today and I am glad to get started on these unfinished projects.  The scanner and printer are under a sheet in a pile of stuff so I am limited in what I can accomplish. 

But short and sweet - here's your gift....offer.....giveaway.  Finishing has been mentioned lately so I thought some supplies might be a good idea.  First off, an oval box with my sampler bag design as a label (it got a little too much flame with my limited movement so I may do another).    Inside the little box, you will find 3 fat 1/8's of backing fabric.  One is orange with pumpkins, another is brown with holly, and the third is mustard with moon & stars.

  

To finish it off, a new bottle of my favorite fabric glue, Liquid Stitch, a temporary fabric glue stick to hold trims and edges while stitching, and of course, Fray Check.

So the total offer is for the little fabric pieces, finishing helpers, and the box. 

 Leave a comment on this post only. 

I will draw a name on the 15th, next Saturday, at 8 pm.  Enjoy your weekend.  Thank you for visiting and talk to you soon!

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A few Santa charts for you

Hi everyone.  Since I can't stitch right now, I thought I would go through charts to find a few projects to kit.  I came across some older Christmas designs that I know I will never stitch and wondered if someone would be interested.  Leave your name on this post and if more than one are interested, I will draw a name this Saturday. 

 All five are one offer.

Merry Old Santa

Leisure Arts

Debbie Mumm

Country Noel

Susan Fouts
Homespun Holiday
Perforated paper or fabric

  Heartstrings

The Jolly Company



Homespun Sampler

Angels Among Us

Perforated paper and fabric

That's all for now!

Leave your name if you're interested and have a great week.

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New stash ~ Stella's looking for a home

Hi everybody.  I received my R+R Reproductions order from Homespun Samplar and thought you might like to see what I got.  I took the Lightbox feature off so photos should open and enlarge if you want to see a close up of any chart.   I don't like the black screen option and if you want to change yours, go to Dashboard, Settings, Formatting, and scroll down to Showcase ..... Lightbox.  Choose No. 
Bye bye black screen.

Cross, straight, eyelet, and chain stitches in Thankful. 142 x 198 stitch count.

Cross, half, Algerian eye and some over one.

 Ann's verse is "O sweet Jesus who was so good even to those who were so wicked that for the very same parties who did crucify thee thou didst pray unto thy Father saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do." 152 x 279 stitch count.

The verse on Barnard is "Diligence industry and proper improvement of time are material duties of the young.  Sincerity and truth form the basis of every virtue.  Time once past never returns." 271 x 101

 Cross, over one, rice, and smyrna stitches.

Rebecca's stitches are Cross, Rice, Long armed cross, Eyelet, Satin, and Herringbone. 240 x 116  Looks like these colors may need a Pearl Gray dip!

 

Flora includes Cross over one, Rice, Eyelet, and four-sided. 90 x 209
 

And the petite Dorothy (who was 24 years old when she stitched this) has Cross, Four-sided, Long-armed cross, and Herringbone, with hem stitched edges.  She is to be stitched on 35 count with silk threads.  65 x 109
I haven't found a conversion to DMC so I looked up the AVS colors, most are very pale and similar, and I may just pick my own.

Could you believe I got all of these for a total of $31?

These charts are so wonderful to use.  Very large easy to read charts with multiple pages and clear instructions.  But did the young snots really have to use all those stitches?  What's wrong with the basic cross?  Yes I know they were learning, and in order to become proficient they needed to practice and include these attractive stitches.  I'm not practicing or trying to impress a man so I may just go with the basics.  I haven't fully read the charts and if the areas involved are small, it could be fun.  Let's hope so!  Thank goodness I'm almost finished with this post because I am soaked and ready to run outside.  Flashes have been really bad again but my mammoslam was benign so ~ I'll accept the soakings without complaint.  Even though they are still frying my brain.  Today I put a bag of sunflower seeds in the critter treats and when my husband asked why, I said they were expired.  The date on the bag is Oct 10 2012.  ????  WHAT???
See something you'd like to stitch?  Homespun Samplar still has a very nice selection of these oldies.

Remember Stella's Brooms 'n Brellas from Fanci That?  I was going to stitch her without the bottom element, and realize now that I won't.  Anyone interested?  If you would like to have Stella broom her way to you, let me know in a comment here.  If more than one, I'll pull a name from a hat and send her along to her new roost.

Thanks for watching show and tell.

Hope your week starts splendidly!

Thank you for visiting.

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An offering

Greetings.  It's been a little while since I offered you a token of my appreciation. 

Now ~ I've been seeing a few giveaways that include tons of charts, linen, and silk threads.  This isn't one of those.  It's just this.  Not much is it? 

As you know, I've been ridding my craft room of unused items and I happened across a few labels that I was playing with.  So I thought - what the heck?  The offer is for this small 4" paper mache box with the label of my free pattern (under Needle Keep). 

  You can stitch the chart into a little pinkeep, or a soft folding needlebook (instead of this complicated hard sided stiff book that my lovely sister in law preferred), and have a little box to match.  Or just the peacock for a fob. 

Stitching the right half of the chart beneath the peacock as Jill from Purple Peacock did, would make a great folding needlebook. 

 Thanks again Jill for coming up with this great alternative (which I actually prefer).

Anyway, I made the box the other day and of course, tore the house apart looking for it.  You've made me feel better by relating to my losing misplacing items, but this is really chapping my hide.  I found it, won't tell you where.  I would tape it to the TV (which is filling up rapidly) but I don't want the tape to ruin the paint finish.  So I'm putting it in my car.  I keep a large cooler in the back for groceries and I'll put a note on the TV of its location.  Of course I will need to remove it when I put the ice pack in and go to the market, which means it could end up anywhere.  I'll figure something out.

If you would like this wimpy little token of my appreciation to all of you that take the time to visit with me, please leave a comment stating so on this post only.
The offer will close on Saturday, August 11, at 9pm EST.

Later!

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Not another offer!

Yep.  For how you patiently stuck with me and Lucy, your sweet and encouraging comments, and because even though I proudly display my Bitch Banner, I'm basically a nice person.  A gift for you!  Now don't get your skirts flying too high because it's just a basket.  Now lower it a little more.  It's not a hand made ash splint basket, but a cheapo-but-nice-to-display stitchery basket.  And I'll throw in the hook Mark made so you can hang it from your handrail bracket at the bottom of your stairs if you prefer.   This size is about 7 1/2" wide at the top tapering to about 6 1/2" at the bottom, and 11 - 12" tall without the handle.   And if you accidentally step on it or sit on it, it will break.  Trust me.  This is what it looks like with Frances Bliss, and hanging from the bracket.

You will have your choice of natural, or dark stain, shown here with my still waiting for ears to be painted rabbit gourd.  Poor thing has been sitting there for quite some time.  I'm sure the baskets can be painted with brush or spray if you would like a color or aged look.  Leave your name on this post only to enter.  Random will pick a name on Thursday June 21 at 9 PM EST.

Bonnie Olson sent me these photos of her amazing work on The Vierlande Winders' Keeper which was an online tutorial from Amy Mitten.  So much to take in!  Look at all the details, little pockets for the winders, the center opens for needles, drawstring lacing ending with the little stitched balls, and the tiny pinball.  If you want to see more detailed photos of the project, visit Amy Mitten's site.

Congratulation on a magnificent piece of work Bonnie!

I probably should have shown my wimpy stuff first.  I decided to stay with this 32 count (third start), and I spotted a small but bright yellow spot that wasn't there before.  At least I didn't see it, and I can't imagine how I would have missed it.  It won't come out, so I tried coffee staining over the area to hide it, and decided I will just continue on, age it more, and live with it. 

My birthday is this month and I almost didn't make it to 61.  I wanted to clean my parents' shiny black stone (which has grass clippings stuck all over) and put a 7-day candle in for Father's Day.  I went to the cemetery this morning with a bucket of water, a spray bottle with soapy cleaner, the tall heavy brass candle holder, a 12" tall glass candle, my keys, and a lighter.   As I was walking, I stepped into a deep hole that was hidden in the grass, twisted my ankle and went down, and couldn't stop it with my hands full.  I don't remember what hit, but my left shoulder and right arm are numb.  Did I worsen my neck or twist my back?  Don't know.  But my ankle is better and I was extremely lucky that the 16" long spike attached to the bottom of the candle holder didn't pierce me.  It never occurred to me until I started sinking it into the ground that this huge spike could have ended it all!  Yikes.  I came home, took Advil, hung my head to relieve neck pressure, and then got a chuckle from this.

CAT NIP

CAT NIPPED!

Don't forget - this post for entries - state that you want to be entered - make sure I can contact you.

Right now it's time for more Advil - thank you for visiting - have a great week!