Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Stitchin' Of the Green

Top 'o the mornin' to you, my dear friends! Things are really greening up around here--both outside and with my stitching. In my attempt to keep my bowl full of new monthly finishes, I've stitched a few St. Patrick's day pieces lately--even though I don't have a drop of Irish blood in me! But, as the saying goes--"Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day!"

Although March has been a busy month (with me working both weekends in addition to my normal hours at the library), I've been able to carve out some time to create five small green goodies. Four are both newly stitched and finished and the fifth (the Lizzie Kate leprechaun probably stitched back in 2008 or so) was pulled from my drawer of unfinished "finishes." Thank you to all who sent me suggestions of what to stitch for my "March bowl"--as you can see, I've used some of them!


Below are all five, along with the fabrics and trims I selected to finish them off. For me, choosing the fabrics, ribbons, trims, and buttons to complete a small piece of stitching is almost as fun as the stitching itself. I love rooting through my boxes and drawers of finishing supplies to find just the right fabric and trims to make an often simple design really come to life. Finishing takes me a long, long time, but I really enjoy the process... These five took most of Friday to finish off, believe it or not!
So, would you like to see how they each look all finished up? Well, let's go!


First up is this classic Prairie Schooler shamrock bouquet from PS Book No. 13: A Prairie Year. I just love those older Prairie Schooler designs, don't you? Even though this chart was published back in 1986, its designs have withstood the test of time and never seem to look dated. This was stitched on 32 ct. dirty Belfast linen with the suggested DMC threads. I backed it with the green gingham fabric pictured above and accented it with a bow of handmade cording on top for a very simple finish.



I thought this St. Patrick's Day black cat was adorable. I'd say he's in for a ton of good luck based on the size of that giant four-leaf clover he's holding, wouldn't you? This is a freebie from Remy at Emboiderbee's Primary Hive which you can find right here. The cat was charted as a tuxedo black and white cat, but I changed him to all-black to resemble my dear old cat, Shadow. I also added a little green bow around his neck and left out his mouth and nose--just couldn't get them to look right. He is stitched on 32 ct. Belfast flax linen with DMC 957, 986, 310, and white with DMC 3828 for his eyes. I thought this simple little design really looked sweet after I paired it with some green ric rak and the polka dot fabric. What do you think?






My Lizzie Kate finish is the March Stamp from the Flip-It series. I stitched the red-bearded leprechaun quite a few years ago, but it seems that 2012 is his lucky year because he finally escaped the "dark drawer of unfinished finishes." If I remember correctly, the fabric used was 28 ct. tea-dyed Monaco along with good old DMC threads. I really love how this flat finish turned out... I originally planned to put a little bow in the upper right corner to cover where the cording met, but I made a little yo-yo out of fabric and topped it with a wooden button instead. Cute!!


This small pillow is another freebie from Erica Michaels which can be found by clicking here. I stitched this over one on 28 ct. Country Mocha cashel linen with DMC threads. It is such a tiny piece (1 1/4 inches by 2 inches) that I decided a miniature pillow would be a perfect way to finish it off. I added a stitched purple flower to the piece in lieu of sewing on a button because I couldn't find one small enough. The bright green gingham fabric accented with a bit of ecru lace and purple and white buttons brought the whole thing together quite nicely, I think!











Finally, another freebie called Leprechaun Lodge compliments of Blue Ribbon Designs. This is one of those designs which I thought was "kind" of cute, but the more I stitched it, the more I began to love it! Do you ever have pieces like that? It is stitched with the suggested WDW and DMC threads on 32 ct. antique white Jobelan. For the finish, I backed it in the pretty dark green and gold floral fabric which you can see in my photo of "waiting to be finished" pieces above. I kept this finish quite simple, too--just applied some handmade green cording. And look at that precious embroidered St. Patrick's Day handkerchief it is sitting on--it even has crocheted shamrocks in the lace! My mom gave it to me--it was her mother's--so it is very special to me. Mom thought I would like some of gram's old seasonal handkerchiefs to use in my blog photographs...wasn't that sweet of her? My dear Grandma was born on the day after St. Patrick's Day--March 18th--way back in 1895, so what a perfect way to remember her at this time of year...

So, here are all five displayed in my bowl. Do you have a favorite? Now on to April stitching...spring, bunnies, and lots of pastels. I'm so looking forward to leafing through my stash and picking out some little charts for next month!

March Bowl of Green Finishes





A while ago, I lent my friend Cindy a couple of my older Prairie Schooler charts. What a surprise to find these goodies included with my charts when she returned them. The March LHN cottage with the threads to stitch it and an adorable hanger ornament complete with little charms stitched by Cindy had also made their way into her package! I really didn't expect anything in return--I'm happy to lend my charts to stitching friends, but your kindness certainly made me smile, Cindy... Thank you so very much!

A sure sign of spring around here is the annual return of our resident duck couple to our pond. I hope they have little ducklings like they did two years ago--remember this post?. I first noticed them a couple weeks ago which seems a bit early, but with the mild winter we just went through I guess that is to be expected. One morning last week, I looked out to see the always impressive Great Blue Heron wading in the pond and hunting for fish! Of course, I ran and grabbed my camera and here he is...Not the best shot since it is from my kitchen window almost 40 yards away, but at least you'll get an idea. Oh, they do love to "fish" in our pond, so we discourage them from an extended "visit." Luckily, they are quite skittish and even the slightest noise like opening a window tends to scare them away.
The return of the Great Blue Heron: March 2012

Look closely in the photo below and you can see both the mallard pair and the Great Blue Heron--isn't he huge?! Why is the male of the species (except in humans, of course!) always so much more attractive? That bright green iridescent head on the male mallard is gorgeous, isn't it? So far, we've had no blooming flowers like so many of you are showing on your blogs; I've been getting more and more discouraged by how much our deer population loves to feast on anything we plant. Makes it hardly worth the effort to plant anything new... And with a yard that is over an acre, fencing is out of the question--the deer just jump over the fences we already have in place! Do any of you have any "tried and true" deer resistant plant suggestions? We do have a fenced in vegetable garden, however the chipmunk population discovered a "secret entrance" into even that area last year and had a field day with the tomatoes! Despite the problems we have with our critters, I so love seeing the wildlife that our pond attracts. In most any season, it is a treat to look out from our kitchen window to see what new creature might be visiting...

The mallard couple and the Great Blue Heron
enjoy a warm and sunny March day

Well, I hope you're still with me after another long post! Thank you, thank you for all of your wonderful comments--you are the best group of friends, cheerleaders, supporters, blogging buddies--whatever you want to call yourselves! And I truly appreciate each of you...so much. Enjoy your week and ♣♣♣ Happy St. Patrick's Day ♣♣♣ on Saturday! Bye for now...

103 comments:

Giovanna said...

What a great line-up of finishes - they're all gorgeous, congrats!

Unknown said...

I love your finishes, the sure look good in your basket.
I hope that you can find some beautiful stash for April, but i think that you will.

Hugs Yvon.

Siobhán said...

Fantastic finishes for March, Carol! Everything is so pretty. I love all of your different finish techniques. The handkerchief with the shamrocks (I would be remiss in my Irish-ness if I didn't point out that shamrocks have 3 leaves, clovers have 4... it was the shamrock that St. Patrick used to explain the Holy Trinity. I should have prefaced that with a Nerd Alert.) made by your grandmother is oh my goodness so special! How nice of your mother to give you some of the handkerchiefs--I'm sure you treasure them, knowing the work that went into creating them!

I loved seeing the wildlife photos--I can't get over that heron!

pam said...

Great basket of goodies! GBH is really huge and lovely too.

Elia said...

Wonderful finished by March, I've loved, I too like to do something for St. Patrick.
It's fun!
I love that cat black, you let me do?
You know I'm surrounded by black cats at home.
The photos are great ... Spring is approaching, so I can appreciate.

Thank you for this moment so entertaining happened at your blog- home, I send a big hug.

besos desde España

eljardindemiduende ^^

CJ in OK ;-) said...

Wow this blog post was a treat. Great stitching and finishing,all cute so congrats on those and then great nature shots of birds my favorites. Plus you have this great story to weave it all together. Thanks, CJ in OK ;-) Ps that Heron is amazing.

Vickie said...

What a great looking bowl you have going on there. I have had the Leprechaun Lodge waiting around for a few years now. I am currently finishing off another Erica Michaels Irish freebie. I love your little Shadow. And I am not even a cat person. :) ♥♣

the striped rose said...

Your basket of March smalls looks fabulous!

Annie said...

Those are all little mini-masterpieces. I love how you pay such attention to detail and find just the perfect finish for each piece. I'm really going to have to steal that yo-yo idea. Truly inspired!

As a condo dweller, I'm no help in the deer repellent department. But it is fun to see your backyard menagerie.

Michelle said...

Such fantastic finishes! I also love how you display your finishes in that lovely bowl!

Beautiful nature pics - that Heron is very imposing and the mallard couple is so cute.

Enjoy the week!

Rita said...

Wonderful finishes!

We live on a lake and I enjoy watching all the ducks, geese, and birds (also turtles that like to sun themselves on our old dock).

Catherine said...

Oh Carol, it is always great to see a post from you and this one was fabulous! Loved all of your finishes and could never pick a favorite. All of your little touches just make the finish and they certainly look great in your bowl!
Thanks for sharing the links too, I have missed some of these freebies and will be printing them off later today.
Loved seeing your critter photos. What a great place you have to see such beauties. I can definitely understand your frustration with the deer eating everything. My parents have had the same battle over the years. They even eat the plants that they aren't suppose to!

butterfly said...

Beautiful stitching again Carol, what a lovely set of ornaments and pillows sitting in your wooden dish, I think I will have a go at stitching each month next year it looks so much fun.
Did you stitch them all over 1 Carol.
We have a heron to he just gobbled 4 of my fish up this year only have 7 left now there you go thats nature
Thank you for sharing a wonderful blog again.

Sweet Sue said...

Every finish an Irish treasure:) Teeny tiny work can be very slow indeed, but as you've shared here, can also yield great rewards, congrats!
Especially like your yo-yo, me thinks we'll soon start seeing more of these around town:)

Mavi. said...

Hi Carol, that your beautiful pillows. The just be happy. I've saved the March chart is cute. How funny the hobgoblin of Lizzie. As noted the arrival of spring ...
Kisses.

Nicola said...

Love your March finishes, they are lovely.

Can't help with your deer problem I'm afraid. My parents also have deer visiting their front garden. They just can't grow flowering plants in it unless they are in hanging baskets. Wonderful heron photos.

Margaret said...

Your March bowl of pretties is fantastic! I love how you're keeping your bowl filled with monthly goodies! That blue heron is amazing! And how fun that the mallard couple is back again! I hope they have babies too!

Barbara said...

Hello from someone who does have a drop of the Irish in her...you put me to shame with all your lovely finishes!
Blessings

Barb said...

One again your cross stitching and your finishes are so gorgeous and so inspiring! You are so talented and so creative - I just love seeing what you have done.

That Great Blue Heron is beautiful and how lucky are you to have him visit your yard? WOW!

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful stitching and your fine 'yard visitors' with us - what a treat!

Anonymous said...

What wonderful finished finishes you have created for your March bowl! Way to go, Carole!

What a fabulous shot of the Great Blue Heron and your mallard duo!

Robin in Virginia

Tricia T said...

Beautiful stitching, Carol! I think my favorite is the sweet Erica Michaels piece. I would never have thought to put a lavender flower on it, but that was what caught my eye from the first on yours. I love the unexpected spot of color!

Do you buy your cording or make it?? And do you sew it on or glue it on. One of my goals this year is to finish something like your flat finish, but I need to gather some supplies, I think.

Blessings!

Tricia

marly said...

My favorite is the Lodge, but every one of them is inspiring! I can see why it took most of the day and well worth it. Beautiful finishing choices. My neighbor's pest deterrent is a motion activated oscillating water hose. They get a squirt of water and it takes care of the groundhogs, coons, and deer! So far. I use Vick's Vaporub in little containers around baby bunny nests and the garden. That smell is not pleasant to their sensitive noses and they leave.

Angela said...

Thanks so much for sharing your March finishes. Both my husband and I have birthdays in March as well as a bit of Irish blood, so we always hold a St. Patrick's Day party. I appreciate you sharing the links to the freebies! I hope to have more stitching to display at next year's party.

Deb said...

I just love all your finishes!!

Carrie said...

I just love all of your beautiful finishes!

Carrie said...

I just love all of your beautiful finishes!

BeckySC said...

Lovely finishes dear Carol :) each and every one :)

BrendaS said...

Carol --
Your basket of March goodies looks beautiful. Your stitching and finishing are just superb. I don't know if I could pick out a favorite one:)

It's been beautiful in Chicago the last several days and things are starting to "green up" here too! We had such a mild winter too.

Have a great week my friend. Always good to see a post from you.

Anonymous said...

All are beatiful but "March" is my favourite. After all, it is my month!!
Love the look out of your kitchen!!
Hugs

Laurie in Iowa said...

Love all your March finishes. I can't believe it only took you a day to do the finishing!
You have a wonderful view from your kitchen window.

Gabriele said...

Beautiful!Beautiful!
Hugs, Gabi

Kathy A. said...

Your little Irish stitches are absolutely adorable. I love each and every one of them. You have done such a nice job of picking coordinating fabrics and accessories.
Well done!

Beth said...

Carol - Wonderful, wonderful finishes. You have a real knack for matching / coordinating fabrics & trim with your stitching. Your "Irish" stitches are all so cute. Love the Great Blue Heron pictures too.

Autumn said...

What a fun post full of cute stitchy projects and photos. Makes me want to grab that needle!

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Carol, your finishes look awesome! I think my favorite is the kitty followed by the lion/lamb. They are all so cute.

I love your picture of the pond. We call those herons "funky birds" at our house. Those long legs just crack me up when they are in flight. We see them from time to time too on their way to the big lake up the road.

Have a great week dear friend!

LoriU said...

Oh I was so excited to see a new post on your blog! I love the March basket pieces!! Beautiful finishing on all of them too!

As far as keeping the deer away, I have been told to shave pieces of Irish Spring soap off and put them around the plants you want the deer to avoid. Also, some people hang a bar of Irish Spring in an old pantyhose and that is supposed to keep them away too.

Can't wait to see your pastel April pieces!

Julie said...

What a stunning St. Patrick's basket of loveliness, I think Mr Kittybis my favourite, but they are all stunning.
You have a wonderful view from your kitchen window Carol.

Lesleyanne said...

Wow Carol all of your finishes are gorgeous. I couldn't possibly pick a favourite. I can't wait to see what you stitch next for your spring bowl.

Ann said...

Wow, I love all of your St. Patrick's finishes!
Thanks for the links (I'll certainly download and give them a try)!
Looking forward to your April stitching :-)
Kind greetings,
Ann

Mary said...

Being Irish through and through, I love each of your treats in the "March bowl"
Each one is truly a work of art!

Carol, your posts are always so joyful and uplifiting.....THANK YOU!

Yes, spring has arrived here these past few days, too.

You have some beautiful wildlife that visits your yard.
I have given up on my flowers and the deer. They seem to love them as much as I do....but in a very different way :0

Hope you're enjoy these beautiful spring days

(((HUGS)))

Rachel S-H said...

Your finishing is immaculate! Love all of them, but I'm a bit partial to the black kitty!

Jennifer M. said...

Gorgeous finishes! They all turned out terrific. I love the one of the cottage. That is cute. I'm sorry but I had to laugh when you mentioned you had a chipmunk problem. Animals are too smart and when they want food, they will find a way! BTW, I'm jealous of the view from your kitchen. I live too far south to see any wildlife of any sort. Our wildlife are lizards, frogs and snakes!

Jen

♥ Nia said...

Oh no =( I'm not the first one today =(
Just kidding!! hehehe ;)

Oh! I'm always amazed when I see your finishes! So fun to see the first picture of the making of :)
Too hard to pick a favorite!! :p hummm... I would say.. March Stamp :)

Spring, bunnies and lots of pastel??? I'm anxious to see that! What will you stitch? What will you make? Can't wait to see!!! :D
Hugs&Smiles to you my friend!!

Heather said...

I LOVE all of your March finishes, but especially the PS one! Your grandmother's hankie is so adorable. What a sweet gift from your Mom!!

Love your bird pictures!!

passionfruitprincess said...

So sweet, Carol! Your bowl looks lovely with all the ornaments! Hard to pick a favorite!
And looks like you live in a little piece of paradise! Very pretty, even with all the little guys eating your plants :(
Have a wonderful day!

MoonBeam said...

Really cute finishes. My favorites are the PS shamrock and the black cat with the four leaf clover.

Nice shot of the great blue heron and ducks. I had a mallard couple in my backyard briefly this a.m., but have only seen herons at lakes in the parks or flying over once in a while.

Bobbi

Anne said...

Oooh Carol! Your March finishes are the cutest! It's so hard to pick a favourite...but I really like the Blue Ribbon Designs one, the lion, lamb one and the Prairie Schooler one! That handkerchief is gorgeous! Your March bowl is brimming with all sorts of march goodness. Love the fabbies and trims you used too! Each one is perfect in its own way! What a lovely surprise from Cindy! So sweet of her!!

Ah, you have blue herons too! We have them here in Stanley park! They are so beautiful! I always feel bad for the dull looking females who have to protect the nest and not bring attention to themselves. The males get all the colours! Lucky guys!!

Linda said...

Wow!!! Congrats on all the finishes. They are absolutely stunning. Hard to pick a favorite. Love them all.

Linda

Elizabeth said...

I so enjoyed seeing your basket with little March pillows and actually finished for March! I love the little handkerchief from your grandma, sweet treasure. Your green grass looks very nice and a pond in your backyard, how great is that!! I wouldn't worry about flowers just enjoy the visitors!

priscilla said...

WOW ! Such a fast stitcher ...Love them all , but my favorite is the little house..I have a thing for houses :)..they are all finished beautifully as well ! Can't wait to see the bunnies !

Theresa said...

How much fun~~~ You've piled up a lot of luck in your basket~~ ^^

Kathy Ellen said...

This was a wonderful post, Carol! I am amazed at all of the beautifully stitched and finished pieces you have managed to do for March and St. Patrick's Day! What a wonderful view out of your kitchen window, and you must have been so thrilled to see that gorgeous Blue Heron and the Mallards too!

The Queen Bee said...

All your little finishes are wonderful. Your display is so pretty, too. I've moved straight to Easter decorating. My husband is Irish...therefore the kids...and I still don't decorate for St. Patrick's day. I do cook corned beef but That's about it.

Pam

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

Gorgeous finishes. My favourite..definitely the shamrock bouquet,it's lovely,as is the picture of the blue Heron.
I have family originally from County Waterford although it is a long way back in time. Wishing you a happy St Patrick's day too Carol.

Berit said...

Love your tribute to your Shadow! The bow you added is just the thing. Also, enjoyed the shot with all the finishing components laid out.

Wow, the Herons are back! You know, I showed a previous pic of them you posted to Marc the other day (I came across it in a file of wildlife photos I have tucked away on my computer) and was talking to him all about how ethereal they seem--how vexing that they are also so greedy!

Daffycat said...

Wow, Carol ~ your Holiday finishes are perfect! I think my favorite is you Shadow kitty with the black polka dot fabric...just darling!

Holy cow, a Heron! I see them sometimes standing in posts around here but never up close. To see them flying is rather comical with their great big feet!

Christina said...

Loving the freebies Carol! If I had to choose a favourite from your Paddy Day collection I'd have to say the Lizzie Kate March stamp. Such a cheeky looking leprechaun! We don't celebrate the day at all in my family - English and Scottish through and through - I've researched our family tree back 8 generations and it seems we didn't move about a lot! lol.
Wow, I'd love a garden like yours. We have to make do with watching blackbirds and the occasional bluetit when we're eating our breakfast in the garden room!

Nancy said...

Beautiful finishing on all your St Pattys stitching! That's a great shot of the Blue Heron and I do hope your mallard couple nest and have little ones this year!

Mouse said...

cooooo what lovely march eye candy ... I can't make up my mind love them all .. and yes the making them up for me too takes ages as I have to find the perfect trims etc .....
mmmm can't help with the deer I'm afraid .... and love the heron we have them at the canal near us ...take care and happy stitching :) love mouse xxxx

msmartello said...

Hi Carol,

Love your March finishes. So cute! I also love that bowl and have to have one, or something similar. It is such a great way to display finishes. When I first saw it on your blog I even went to Kohl's to see if maybe they still had it. But unfortunately they did not. I am on the look out though because that is a good idea. Hope you don't mind. I have heard two ways to keep the deer from eating things. Rub fabric sofetener sheets all over the plants.(weird I know) I haven't tried it so not sure if it works. The other one is something my mom did and that is she wrapped soap in a mesh bag and hung it near the plants. She had a few out there and it kept them from eating b/c I don't think they liked the smell. Before she did this one year they ate all her hosta plants down to the ground. Hope this helps.
Maureen

Deborah said...

Carol. you have one busy woman! Love all the St. Pat's designs. Your finishing is beautiful as always.

Barbi said...

Top O' DA Mornin' to ya Carol! (sorry I couldn't resist!hehehe)I love your stitching and every one of these finishes are perfect! that hanky is wonderful! I am so looking forward to seeing more of them :)

Melanie said...

What a super bunch of new finishes!! Utterly perfect for your March bowl. I think I'm partial to the PS Shamrock design. (Though I do love the flash of gold on the L*K one, hmm.......picking a favorite is hard! lol)

Anonymous said...

Fantastic finishes Carol all round! And you've got a great eye for coordinating fabrics with finished pieces too. WELL DONE!

Ellen said...

Gorgeous stitching and finishing! Always love the designs you chose for the season/holiday! Thank you for the freebie links!

Hugs,

Lisa V said...

Hi Carol, I love seeing your collection of finishes each month, its always such a treat to see your finishes in the basket.
I hope you get some little ducklings this year, they have to be the cutest things all fluffy and yellow!
Hugs

Veronica said...

I really can't decide which month's bowl is my favourite. They're all equally lovely. Beautiful finishes once again. That embroidered handkerchief is so sweet. That was thoughtful of your mum to give them to you :)

Oh wow, that Great Blue Heron sure is majestic looking. The mallards are so cute.

Hugs,
Veronica.

Rowyn said...

I love all your Irish finishes Carol, but my favourite is definitely the black kitty! I am definitely going to stitch this one up - thanks for sharing the link.

You are so lucky to have so much wildlife visiting your garden. Great photos!

Valma said...

woo, thanks for this fantastic post =D
never too long :)
your pieces are just wonderful !
I love the shamrock bouquet !
very great job ...as usual =D
And the heron...!
We are going to celebrate St Patrick in a small village around here twined with an Irish town =D
Big hugs from France
xxx

Chris said...

Hey Carol!!
I love all your St. Pat's day/March stitching. I love the way you finished everything.
It sounds like things are busy for you right now, I hope that you get some time to spend outside in this lovely early spring.

Shari said...

wow, busy girl!! Everything looks lovely! I think my favorite is the Erica Michaels freebie, which I just printed.....I have always loved the in like a lion, out like a lamb idea...
What a special gift from your mother....something you will treasure forever!!!
Love your nature pictures.

Jane said...

Fantastic finishes Carol, your finishing skills are awesome!
I like Leprechaun Lodge the best, great colours and fabby.
Can't wait to see your April stitching ~ lots and lots of bunniesI hope xxx

Kay said...

As always what you share with us is beautiful! Always hard to choose just one as the favorite, that would be impossible to do. Very special and sweet gift from your mom. Thanks for sharing part of your world with us!

Charlene ♥ NC said...

As always, your finishes are beautiful, and not surprising that it takes most of (only) one day! Grandmother's handkerchief is beautiful - very thoughtful of Mom to share them. A favorite? Very hard to choose... the PS design, but the kitty comes in a close second! Top 'o the week to you, my blogging friend! Wishing you green clovers and golden sunshine!

Sally said...

All of your finishes are brilliant Carol. Love them all so much!

Anonymous said...
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valerie said...

Great finishes Carol! How'd you get them done so fast!? And what wonderful visitors to your pond. How lovely to have wildlife right outside your door. Thanks for sharing the photos!

BRD Girl said...

Thank you so much for stitching
"Leprechaun Lodge" - it turned out absolutely gorgeous! Your finishing on all the pieces is lovely. I shared a link to your blog on my Blue Ribbon Designs Facebook fan page and you received lots of "likes" and a very sweet comment...you have a wonderful blog - I always enjoy my visits.

barbara said...

I just love herons. We see them occasionally here in Maine, but they were as common as dandelions in Holland. Such lovely birds. :)

Your finishes are amazing! I love how you finish-finished them!

Myra said...

Carol, your finishes just keep getting better. I admire the thought that you put into each piece and you always manage to come up with the perfect fabric and trim.

That heron is gorgeous and you are so lucky to have such a visitor right in your yard!

Lynn said...

Your March finishes are absolutely perfect Carol! I think my favourite is the Blue Ribbon Design. I looked at this one and decided against stitching it but now I wish I'd gone ahead with it!
I love how wonderful they look displayed in your bowl.
I enjoyed your photos of the heron. They often visit it us at the cottage. I love watching them take flight!

Cindy's Stitching said...

Carol they are all so pretty. I do not have any st. patrick pieces at all. Maybe next year. I do like doing small pieces. Thank you once again for the charts.

Edit said...

I love your green spring ornaments Carol! They are so beautiful! I was also planning to stitch some spring pieces, but finally I just did not find the time :( Maybe another year :)

I love the photos of your garden as well, with the heron. Sadly here everything is dry, no rain at all for a long time, so we don't get to see too much green :(

Best wishes,
Edit

Lois said...

Carol, what a wonderful selection of March stitching! All are wonderful but oh how nice to have the handkerchief that was your grandmother's - such a treasure to have.

Love the pictures from your garden. I never have anything interesting like that visit! My biggest excitement one day was seeing a squirrel scamper across the back fence!

Dani - tkdchick said...

What a wonderful bowl of seasonal goodies!

Meari said...

Your seasonal finished are adorable! I think it's just as much fun finishing as stitching, too. Could you tell me how you did the finishing on the March LK?

What nice goodies you received in the mail. :)

A heron in your yard? Wow! That would be so cool.

Anonymous said...

Hey Carol,
Great job on the St. Patty's finishes! My favorite is the kitty, but I really like the leprechaun, too! The hanky is so pretty, and what a wonderful treasure it is :) The great blue heron is one of my favorite birds, they are awesome! We've lived here almost 4 years, and I've only seen one in the creek :(
Happy St. Patty's Day!
Donna in WV

Tatkis said...

Wow, all of them are very cute (and green :) )
Happy St Patrick's day!

Hugs,
Tatyana

staci said...

Happy St Patrick's Day Carol! I love all your finished smalls...they look so wonderful displayed together! I really need to take a leaf out of your book (or maybe a four-leaf clover) and get some of those done!!!

Alissa said...

Happy Saint Patrick's Day Carol! Your finishes sure put me in the mood. They're all so great. You keep me stitching!

Friendship Crossing said...

Carol I love how you 'tease' us w/the unfinished finish first, then you show us the fabric you'll use w/them, then the final finish of what they look like all sewn together! I always look forward to each and every piece you stitch~we can always turn to your blog for lots of fun inspiration!

Happy St. Patty's Day!! You outdid yourself this month!

Tanya

Rhona said...

Oh my! All of your finishes are fantastic! I can't pick a favourite as they are all brilliant.
As for that heron....wow!

Hilda said...

Dear Carol,
every time I read your newest post, I admire your knack in selecting the motivs for your wonderful little works.
I love each of your March-Stitching. Unbelievable, that only some weeks ago you told us, that you do not know what to stitch for March.
And again - your finishings are adorable.
I hope you can enjoy a sunny and warm March!
Hugs
Hilda

Solstitches said...

I'm loving your monthly presentation
Carol.
It is almost impossible to choose a favourite from this lovely selection but that tiny yo yo in the corner of the LK is just so sweet. The black cat is so cute also.
In Spain the black cat is considered unlucky although in UK we consider them lucky :)
Margaret

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing the links for these cute charts with your lovely stitching and finishes.
Joan in NY

Patty C. said...

Oh my - I haven't started a bowl - this could be trouble - lol
Your finishing looks just wonderful ;)

Nancy M said...

I just got back from vacation, so I'm playing catch up with blogs! LOVE your March finishes. Thanks for the links, I have a freebie I'm doing now for a friend, but need more ideas for me for next year for "my" bowl....at least I plan to have one! I don't have any "unfinished" pieces though, so I have to stitch them first. Love the way you finished them all. Your pond and view is awesome. We have problems with deer and bunnies both at home and work and we spray the plants they eat with a liquid, that really smells, but does the trick. Our shrubs at work have really made a comeback. Look at any Farm and Home type store. Bonide animal repellant is what ours is called. Even kept the bunnies out of my beans last year with NO fence! Can't wait to see what your April basket looks like!

Penny said...

Sweet stitches for St. Patrick's Day!
Lovely finishing too. Can't wait to see what you stitch for April. :)

AnaCristina said...

Your blog is beautiful! I want to do dishes also monthly but still do not have much ornaments! well ..... I'll cross stitch embroidery before bedtime!

AnaCristina said...

i don't know what cross stitch for my may dishes

Bekca said...

Wow! Such gorgeous finishes! I can't wait to see what you stitch and finish for April.
Best wishes.

Annette said...

So sorry for the late comments...

I love it that everything is getting green, but I think i mean other grenn..
We don´t celebrate St. Patricks day here... But you have made some beautifulll March pieces..
And such great fabric and ribbons you used
WOW Carol... Really beautifull job you did on al off them.. love them...
Your bowl is so beautifull filled!!

You got some lovely goodies from Cindy.. more things to make!!

What a beautifull Pic´s off your pound.. very lovely!!
Hope you have duckies soon..

I went with Noah to the lambs... so lovely

Valentina said...

Wow! Gorgeous finishes! I really can't pick a favourite, they're all super cute!