Tuesday, May 29, 2012

May Blooms

Good morning, my stitching friends! I hope all of you here in the U.S. enjoyed a relaxing and fun-filled Memorial Day weekend. I was so happy to have my youngest son home from Washington, DC. for four days--I hadn't seen him since early February, so it was the first time all five of us had been together in nearly four months. How I enjoy watching my three now grown "boys" together--they always have me in stitches with their antics, teasing, funny songs, and family jokes. In between visiting with them and cooking and cooking and cooking (I'd forgotten how much food four males can put away!!), I did manage to put the finishing touches on my bowl of May smalls...

May Blooms

First up, is Bent Creek's "May Blooms" which looks nothing like the original which you can see here. Do you ever work backward and pick your colors based on how you want to finish a piece? Well, that's exactly what I did with this one. I had this gorgeous piece of blue and yellow fabric which I wanted to use for the finish so I chose my thread colors based on that... It is stitched on 40 ct. white Newcastle linen using a variety of blue and yellow overdyed threads from my stash. I finished it into a flat-mounted ornament and tied some pretty yellow cording around it to finish it off. You all know blue and yellow is my favorite color combination, so you can imagine how happy I am with this finish!

Nest Under the Flowers freebie

My next finish, is a freebie called "Nid Sour les Fleurs" (Nest Under the Flowers) from the wonderful blog Le Chalet des Perelles which can be seen right here. The chart can be obtained by emailing a request to its talented designer, Cathy. (Look in the right sidebar under "Contactez l'auteur" to send an email to her.) This one is stitched with DMC on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle linen. I seem to be stitching a lot on 40 ct. lately--it seems so much easier because you just have to use one thread and there are no worries about the threads getting twisted. This one is finished up as a small pillow and accented with a ruched ribbon made of dusty blue satin...so sweet.


Buttercup Sampler

The flowery finish which was my next choice to be included in my May bowl, is "Buttercup Alphabet" by The Victoria Sampler. Don't you love buttercups--so sunny and bright! When you were a child, did you used to do hold them under your chin? If you saw their reflection that meant that you "liked butter"--remember? Come on--who doesn't like butter!! I only had one of the overdyed threads suggested for this finish so I substituted similar colors from my collection of Nina's Hand Dyed and Sampler Threads and I'm very pleased with the result. To me, this almost looks like a watercolor painting--do any of you see that effect in the flowers? Buttercup Alphabet is stitched over one on 28 ct. cream cashel linen and finished off with a soft yellow and white flower print and rope trim.

"Lavanda" freebie

Finally, another freebie finish called "Lavanda" by Luli which can be found right here. For this finish (stitched with the suggested DMC colors on 40 ct. white Newcastle linen), I did something a bit different. I sewed a small loop of pink ribbon in the middle, added a trio of pastel bows, and placed a bouquet of tiny flowers inside the ribbon. Ideally, these would be dried lavender, but not having any right now, I simply inserted a few sprigs of pink coral bells for the photo. What do you think?

Below are my four latest May finishes along with the two I showed you in my last post:


And here are all six--displayed in the bowl along with some of the prettiest clematis blooms which are growing in our yard... I'm so pleased that I've been able to keep this bowl filled with new finishes each month so far this year. I already have a theme in mind for June--can anyone guess what I'll be stitching?








I received a surprise gift from dear Brenda at Brenda's Stitching last week. I mentioned, in a comment on her blog, that I had never used chenille trim and she kindly sent some to me to try it out on some of my little pillows! I just love the colors you chose, Brenda, and think they will be great accents--especially for some of my to-be-stitched fall pieces! Thank you so much, my friend--you really made me smile. If you haven't visited Brenda's blog--please check it out. Her work is not only beautifully stitched, but perfectly finished as well!


So did you do anything especially fun over the long Memorial Day weekend? I did something I hadn't done in 30 years--yes 30 long years!! I rode a bike! The last time I was on a bike was when I was pregnant with my oldest son three decades ago. We took a trip to Cape Cod and spent many relaxing afternoons just biking around the island. My husband is an avid cyclist who often rides 50 or even 100 miles at a time. He's been after me to give it a try, so this weekend all the guys convinced me that now was the time. It was a bit scary and I was slightly wobbly at first, but I so enjoyed it! We ended up riding over 17 miles (which in Pittsburgh, with it's hilly terrain is not the easiest riding!) and although I may not be sitting comfortably on hard wooden chairs for a few days, I think this may be the start of a new interest. When we returned from our ride we all indulged in these goodies...probably the best brownie recipe I've ever tried. If you love fudgy, ooey-gooey brownies like we do, check out this recipe for "Brooke's Best Bombshell Brownies." Oh, my!! Believe me, I'll have to add more miles onto my daily treadmill workouts to get rid of the calories from those chocolatey treats, but, they were so worth it!

Thank you for all of your kind comments on my last post... You were so very supportive and understanding about my sadness at having to clean out my childhood home. It was a long, tiring, and emotional weekend, but we got the job done and I'll post soon about some of the treasures I found in the old attic--I think you'll enjoy them! Have a joyful week, my friends, and I hope you find some time each day to stitch and create--even if just for a few minutes. It is so good for the soul. Bye for now...

100 comments:

Jackie's Stitches said...

Your May bowl of smalls is just gorgeous! You've accomplished a lot.

I hope you're sitting comfortably on a hard wooden chair quickly. As I was reading your post, I wondered how long it had been since I'd been on a bike. Probably about the same time as you!

Annie said...

Your spring smalls display is just gorgeous. You always have such great finishing ideas.

Nice to have the boys home. I know you miss them in your 'empty nest'.

I suspect I wouldn't even know how to ride a bike anymore. Never did much of it anyway. You must be in great shape!

Susan @ Afford Your Passions said...

Wow! Your May finishes are all adorable!

It sounds like you had a lovely time with all your boys home!

Valma said...

Woooo what a wonderful May bowl !!!
Once again you chose the perfect designs, the perfect colours and the perfect way for the finishes =D
I'm in love with Buttercup Sampler =)
You worked hard this month =)
June bowl...hum...birds ? butterflies ? can't find, but sure it will be lovely =D

big hugs
xxxx

Chris said...

I love all your May finishes Carol. Your color conversion on May Blooms is stunning.
Congratulations on the bike ride. It sounds like fun!
So glad that you had some nice family time this weekend.
Have a great week!

Mavi. said...

Carol que bonitos los has acabado, todos. El amarillo y azul te ha quedado precioso. Tu vista habrá sufrido con el count de 40, merece la pena el esfuerzo.
Queda muy lindo el corazón de Luli con las flores.
Acabo de imprimir la receta del brownies. Dios mioooo....
El lunes no era festivo, el fin de semana nos fuimos de viaje a los Arribes del Duero y pasamos a Portugal.
Besos.

Carol's beautiful finish you all. The yellow and blue you have been beautiful. Your eye will have suffered with the count of 40, well worth the effort.
It is very cute Luli's heart with flowers.
I just printed the recipe for brownies. Mioooo God ....
Monday was a holiday, the weekend we took a trip to the Arribes del Duero and we go to Portugal.
Kisses.

natalysneedle said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful time with your boys. I can attest that 4 "boys" do eat ALOT!
Your finishes are beautiful and I love the Nid sour les fleurs. Darling! Happy Stitching!

Elizabeth Ann said...

I love all your May treasures! The little birds in the tree are sweet! I bet you had a great time riding your bike, especially up and down those hills. I started riding a spinning bike at the workout center and love to have one at home, I enjoy it so much. Idaho has bike trails all over the place, someday I would love to have an outdoor bike! Hmmmm didn't see an April or May Christmas ornament.....

cathy r said...

thanks for stitching my nest )))
have a nice week ... sunny weather in france... amitié, cathy

Margaret said...

I'm so glad you had all four sons home for the long weekend. How special! We hadn't seen our DD since the winter either. She popped in for a couple of hours over the weekend before she took off on a trip with friends -- it was good to see her! Love your May smalls -- they're all wonderful! For June -- could it be a wedding theme maybe?? Or graduation? lol! Can you tell what's on my mind for June? :D Good for you for getting back on a bike. 17 miles, wow! I'm very impressed!

Judy said...

Another beautiful collection of smalls for the bowl. Beautiful stitching..beautiful finishing! Wow, 17 miles on a bike after 30 years..impressive! But, if I were on Cape Cod...I am sure I would have to give it a try also.

Judy heartland stitcher

Shirlee said...

I love it all! I love it all! Especially those brownies ... lol! I still have a box of brownie mix in the pantry (can you believe the goodies are still not gone?!?!?) so maybe I'll whip them up today : ) I was SO EXCITED to see that Nest Under the Flowers & THEN see it's a freebie! Going over there RIGHT NOW to download it : ) Have a great week!

Hilda said...

Dear Carol,
your latest post sounds so wonderful and happy! It sounds as your May-stitchings look: Bright and full of sun!
I really can imagine how you enjoyed having your sons with you.
Congratulation to your bikeride. 17 miles after such a long time .... wow!

Have a nice last May-week, dear Carol!
Hugs
Hilda

Devon said...

Oh how you brighten this rainy grey morning with your bowl of beautiful and bright smalls you finished..I love all of them,the bent creek has to be my favorite thou. And congrats on riding a bike, you will want to do it more now that you had that first go. Didnt do anything over the weekend as Tropical STorm Beryl hit us hard..so it was a stay in and stitch day..Hope you have an awesome week.
Devon

Melody said...

Hi Carol.

What an absolutely beautiful collection of smalls you have finished for your May display! I think you do the prettiest and most creative finishing as well. It would be hard for me to pick a favorite of the group you stitched.

Glad you enjoyed your bike ride and the brownies looked like a good reward!

Kathy A. said...

Beautiful stitches Carol. I love them. Your finishing is so imaginative. I have a pile of smalls here that I have finished this year. I think I will package them up and send them off to you. Just kidding. Sending hugs!

Lanie said...

Hi Carol! So glad you had your family together for the weekend...makes us moms happy, happy when all our chickies are in the same place! Love your May smalls...your stitching and finishing is perfect! And, hey, good for you getting back on your bike!

Laurie in Iowa said...

So happy for you that you had the entire family home for the holiday. all of your May smalls looks wonderful.

Marsha said...

17 miles in Pgh. Is very impressive. I grew up there and when I go back to visit and walk I can't believe how hilly it is. I miss the hills.

I really love your May smalls. I can't decide which I like the most since they are all wonderful. Blue's my favorite color so I think they are special.

I'll be in the burg in June. Are there any cross stitch stores? My parents live in Allison Park now.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely lovely finishes, Carol! I love the changes and the floral fabric you used for May Blooms! Wow!

Shame on you for sharing that picture of brownies! Now, I want one or two! LOL

Glad you had a wonderful weekend with your family!

Robin in Virginia

Mary Ann said...

Your bowl of May smalls is amazing--all lovely finishes! But, I am going to have to say that my favorite photo was of the brownies!! : ) They look so yummy!

butterfly said...

Oh Carol another beautiful post I always get so excited to see what stitching goodies you have stitched, I was looking all day yesterday to see if you had posted I knew you would this week, I always love your post so up lifting. Love all your stitching again and your finish, beautiful blue and yellow material for the first one so pretty.You always pick the nicest charts and you know me I want to stitch them all right now.
Bless you.Looking forward to the June one's.Hugs.

Vickie said...

Hooray for family time! And 17 miles, wow! I tried not to print that brownie recipe, I really did. I love your bowl for May, so pretty. :)

The Inspired Stitcher said...

What great finishes dear friend! I love all the pretty flowers you chose to stitch this month. Can't wait to see what you get up to for June!

Jenny said...

Your spring bowl is wonderful and I love the changes that you made to the May Blooms design - wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Hello Carol--

Your recent finishes are lovely!

I have some questions about your finishing techniques. Do you have a source for instructions for the little pillows with the coordinating fabric and the trim? I would love to make some of these--I've seem them on many different blogs--but don't have any idea how to do it. Do you have instructions you follow, or do you just make it up as you go along?

Thanks,

Carol S.

Melissa said...

Oh Carol, you always amaze me with your finishes! This time, even more so (again!). I love how you finished that last one with the ribbon and tucking in a few sprigs. Purrrfect! You're so Schhh-mart!

Congrats on your first bike ride. 17 miles is a big deal! Nice that you got to eat those brownies. Now I have to go and check out the recipe and those freebies! Thanks!

Jeanne said...

I've been pondering getting a bike too. I live in an urban area with a lot of traffic..so just not sure if I feel comfortable riding much on the main streets. Nor do I want to wear a bike helmet!

Love all your finishes Carol. I know whenever I see a fresh post is on your blog that I'm going to be adding a few things to my very long list! You always inspire me to take a fresh look at patterns that can be made into lovely smalls, and I also get ideas for finishing. Thanks!

dulcinella said...

Beautiful stitching and finishing! Your may bowl of smalls looks gorgeous. Thanks for the freebies links.

BrendaS said...

Carol -- Your May finishes are just exquisite as always! I look forward each month to see what you have created:))

I'm glad you had a nice long Memorial Day weekend and that you went bike riding with your boys! What fun to enjoy your husband's passion too.

Can't wait to see what treasures you discovered in the attic. I'm sure it was very hard but now it's done and you can enjoy some of the treasures you found.

HUGS to you.

Melissa said...

Such beautiful finishes!!! Thanks so much for the link to Cathy's blog. I love it!!!!

Beth said...

Carol - All your stitching and finishes are wonderful. I think if I had to chose though I'd go with the color changes and finish you made with the Bent Creek May Flowers piece. Oh and those brownies! Did you have to provide the link? I'm sunk!

Jenny said...

I love all of your May finishes. They are simply beautiful! It sounds like you had a great time with your boys and that is always very special. The brownies look delicious and I know I will have to try some soon...I can never have enough chocolate...grins...As for getting on a bike....LOL...all I know is that it has been awhile...hmmm maybe 10 years? It is much safer for the neighborhood if I continue my walking...grins...Have a great day and I hope you get some stitching in.

passionfruitprincess said...

Lovely finishes Carol! Your bowl looks wonderful.
And thank you for the freebie links!
I love the birdhouse one. I was just planning to make the lavender heart very soon, I found that blog a while ago!
I am glad you had a good time with your boys.
Have a great week!
Ana Paula.

Linda said...

Congrats on all the finishes Carol. They are absolutely gorgeous. My favorite is the blue and yellow.

Linda

Nancy said...

Glad you enjoyed your long weekend with your family! It is nice to enjoy our children when they are older, isn't it? Carol, your May stitches are lovely, and the brownies look so delicious. Can't wait to see what you found in your parents attic, but I'm sorry it was a sad experience.

Annette-California said...

All your sweet pillows are Beautiful. Love the colors you used on them and the Gorgeous designs you chose. Happy for you that you got to see your boys all together. Lovely weekend you had.

msmartello said...

Wow!! You haven't been on a bike in 30 years and you rode 17 miles. You Go Girl!!! I am impressed! Your finishes are absolutely wonderful Carol. Love your May bowl and can't wait to see what June brings. So glad you had a fun-filled weekend with your boys.

Maureen

Cath said...

Oh , what gorgeous finishes. I love the lavender one with the flowers , it is so effective and pretty .
XX

Anonymous said...

Hello

Your May bowl is lovely. All your little finishes are so beautifully finished.
I love the lavender sachet and the way you used different coloured ribbons.
Happy stitching!

Meari said...

Kudos to you for getting on the bike. Wow, 17 miles is quite a bit for a first time out. I bet you're sore! Have a brownie or two, it'll take your mind off it for a while :)

Your smalls are adorable. Congrats on all the finishes.

We used to play the "butter" game with dandelions since there's an overabundance of them here.

Thanks for the brownie recipe. I'm going to try it. I love allrecipes! I use it a lot.
th

Tricia T said...

Is another month coming to an end already? How time flies!! I enjoyed looking over your shoulder at your new bowlful of smalls. My favorite is the little birds nest. I have it all printed out in my "to do" (someday!) pile!

Thank you for sharing!!!

Tricia

Deborah said...

I love the latest group of smalls. May blooms is wonderful. Love your changes. Those brownies sure looked good.

Barb said...

Hi Carol, Your finishing is just amazing!! I do think you could do this professionally if you wanted to. I'm so glad to hear your week-end was a joy!! The brownies-YUM!

Roberta said...

Hi Carol, finally had some time to catch up on blog reading.

Love, just love all the stitching you have done - your basket of monthly stitching is wonderful.

And your yard is just gorgeous.

Good for you for getting on a bike after so many years!!! whew!! and yes, how hard it is to clean out a childhood home - take care and enjoy whatever treasures you found.

Sweet Sue said...

Delightful May finishes all in a bowl, glad you had a nice long weekend, with the hungry guys:)

Daffycat said...

Wonderful May finishes for your bowl, Carol. Great job =) I especially like May Blooms and the colors you stitched it in.

Bianca said...

Carol,
I just love all of your finishes and these are no exception. I've been following your blog for a few months now, and I just adore all of your fabulous smalls. I've never made any type of ornaments with my stitching in the past, but you have inspired me. I just started my first piece that I plan on making into a pillow ornament and I am so excited. Thank you for sharing with all of us!

Jennifer M. said...

Beautiful May finishes! I love the blue and yellow combo too. Nice to hear you had a great weekend with the boys. I can only imagine how much cooking you did for all of those boys!

Ellen said...

Gorgeous, love all your May finishes!
You are a great inspiration to me to do more finishings, ha ha!

Enjoy the time with your sons!

Hugs,

marly said...

You're amazing. I feel so inadequate! Once again the finishing methods are terrific.

Barbi said...

Love the May bowl! And I love the colors you choose for May blooms! You're right it totally doesn't look at all like the original colors.
Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend with the boys...so it's true...you never forget how to ride a bike..huh? lol

Kate said...

Just love your May "smalls". Cannot imagine working with 40 count - I admire you for being able to. Always an inspiration!

Wanda said...

Another beautiful bowl of finishes! I get so excited toward the end of each month to see your finishes. Your finishes are so inspiring!

Alissa said...

Wow Carol, you've been busy. They're all so pretty - especially when you display them all together like that! I'm amazed at how you always choose the right fabrics, ribbons and trims. You're so talented!

Anne said...

Oh Carol! Your finishes are so inspiring and beautiful!!! I love all of them so much! The Buttercup sampler does look like a watercolour painting! I used to do that with buttercups all the time as a kid! LOve luv lurv the Nest Under the Flowers freebie! I will have to get that one too! The ruched ribbon is perfect!May blooms is lovely too and I like how you changed the colours :D The little Lavanda freebie is stunning too with the ribbon and little dried flowers tucked in! So pretty!

It must have been wonderful to have all your boys at home! It's funny how much men eat (my hubby is excluded though...he eats so little!) Congrats on getting on a bike! I bet your hubby loved every minute of it! Cape Cod is somewhere I would love to see one day! Riding those hills are crazy but the pay off is the best!! You should get a gel pad for your seat. It saved my butt!!!

Veronica said...

I took a look at your May Blooms and went "Oh my, that's stunning!" Then I realized you've picked the threads to match the fabric. I must say you've done a wonderful job on that! Definitely an idea I gotta remember :)

Your other finishes are just as gorgeous too. I could go on on each and every one of them (especially the ribbons and bouquet of flowers on Lavanda :P) but then this would be a really long comment ^.^

Your May bowl looks fantastic. I love how the bright yellow stands out against the blue. Wonderful job, as always, Carol.

Hugs,
Veronica.

Melanie said...

How awesome to have everyone together!!!!! And GOOD JOB on biking. VERY impressive!!!! I've only managed to go for 4-5 miles at a go because we've been limited to just 30 minutes here and there for biking so far. Might take me awhile to get up to 17 miles. Hehehe. I've found my treadmill walking workouts aren't translating very well to the bike. lol

Love the color changes you made with the May blooms piece. Very nice. They are all fabulous. You will finds lots of uses for the chenille trim, I'm sure. It's a very handy and easy way to finish the edges of piece - *LOVE IT*.

So glad you got to have such a great weekend!!!!! :)

Lesleyanne said...

Sounds like you had a lovely weekend with your family. The only bike I can ride is an exercise bike. I can remember holding buttercups under my chin - lovely childhood memories. Your May finishes are gorgeous. Can't wait to see what you are going to stitch for June.

Christine said...

Beautiful finishes! I love the blue and yellow colour scheme you used for May Blooms.
The attached sprig of flowers is a lovely idea

Gabi said...

Your finishes are all wonderful!
Greetings from Germany!!

Julie said...

Super May bowl Carol, it looks so pretty and colourful, i love the Nest one.
How wonderful you were able to spend time with the boys.
Looking forward to seeing what treasures you unearthed - sounds very interesting.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful finishes. You really do such fantastic work.

Bekca said...

Gorgeous finishes as always Carol, you're so talented in the finishing department.
I'm glad to hear you had such a lovely time with your sons. I know when I'm with Lawrence and his brothers, I can't believe the amount of food they can pack away!
Those brownies look delicious, gooey brownies are the only good brownies :)
Thank you so much for your comment on my latest post. I'm hoping to make one of the dresses soon, but as I've never used a pattern before, I think it's going to be a big project.
Best wishes.

The Queen Bee said...

Love the spring finishes. Just last night I finished up a summer Lizzie Kate and I was thinking of finishing it just like your blue and yellow flower piece....and that was before I saw yours! Great minds, and all that.

I'm looking forward to your June basket. No pressure or anything!

Pam

Michelle said...

Beautiful stitching thanks for sharing your photos x

priscilla said...

So beautifully stitched and finished ! Love the nest under the flowers the best , but they are all fabulous ! Love to bike ride ! Wish we lived closer , I would be coming to drag you out with me :)! So nice that you had your whole family together ! I am thinking beachy theme for June >? Can't wait to see next months bowl of goodies !!

Mary said...

Your May finishes are exquisite Carol. They are all so delicate, fresh and bright!

It sounds as if you enjoyed your biking escapades....you're quite brave tackling the hills of Pittsburgh...you go girl :)

I know how bittersweet the move from your childhood home must have been for you.
It's always fun to find long forgotten treasures but your most important ones are those in your heart that stay close to you.

Oh...the brownies....they may be on my baking list this week.

Happy June stitching my friend. i can't wait to see what you'll treat us with next.

((HUGS))

Charlene ♥ NC said...

So glad to hear your sons were home for the weekend to bring smiles and laughter to the house! You deserve it, and they knew that, too!
Your May bowl is so pretty. If I had to choose this month, it would be the Nest Under Flowers.
Oh, my - 17 miles? Girl, that's wonderful! Sounds like a healthy, happy habit to me. Enjoy.
Look forward to seeing some of your childhood treasures.

Penny said...

It must have been wonderful to have all of your boys home together. My daughter will be moving in a few months and I miss her already. I love your May smalls! Beautifully finished as usual. :) Congratulations on the bike ride! 17 miles is quite the ride. :)

Kay said...

Beautiful work. I will be having a go a tthe nest freebie myself now, thank you for telling us about it.

Shari said...

as always, another wonderful, gorgeous post...
your may finishes are all so sweet...I went & found the freebies...will be starting the bluebird soon, since I LOVE bluebirds! So happy you had everyone home for the holiday weekend...what a treat!

Mylene said...

WOW! I just LOVE your finishes, Carol! Congrats and you finished them all perfectly.

Christina said...

Oh my goodness, 'Nest under the flowers' has got to be the nicest finish I've seen in a long time and it's a freebie? Wow, I will have too check out Cathy's blog.
You find stitching on 40ct easy? Are you mad? lol! I HATE stitching on 40ct linen - with a passion - but I do agree that stitching looks so much nicer (and neater) when it's finished. I hear what you're saying about the twisted thread also.
The pink coral bells look lovely in your Lavanda freebie. They contrast with the lavender heart beautifully.
I have no idea what your June basket theme will be...I look forward to the surprise! ;0)

Patty C. said...

So many smalls - you need a bigger bowl!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

As always...a lovely, delightful post filled with gorgeous goodies! your blog never fails to lift my spirits.
thank you! :)

Lynn said...

Your May bowl is just brimming with gorgeous spring offerings!! My favourite colour is also blue and your version of the Bent Creek design is gorgeous! Love the accompanying fabric!
As you know from my Maisonnette aux Fraises, I'm already a big fan of Cathy's at Chalet des Perelles. I have this chart in my stash and it was a toss up between it and my current cottage stitch. I love the little bluebirds in this one.

Thank you for the link to the brownies. My DH is a huge chocoholic so I'll have to give these a try. I'm glad you had such an enjoyable weekend with all your sons home once more. Don't you just love it when they're all home at once?

Sally said...

Beautiful finishes as always Carol. I really love the Chalet des Perelles one and have just emailed Cathy :)

Glad you had a great weekend!

Elia said...

hello Carol,
Your spring smalls works are just gorgeous. You always have such great finishing ideas!! I love it!

I'm so glad to hear your sons were home for the weekend to bring smiles and laughter to the house! ;-))
best wishes for you,


Besos desde España
eljardindemiduende ^^

Mouse said...

ohhhhh just had a wee dribble drool fest ...lol your finishes are adorable and I love the wee bows and the flowers in the lavender one :)

good for you getting on your bike ... and a cushion helps on those hard chairs just saying ;)
looking forward to seeing your treasures :) love mouse xxxxx

Giovanna said...

What lovely finishes - congratulations!

Anonymous said...

Todos preciosos; pero el de Lavanda me ha encantado su montaje. BESOS

Dani - tkdchick said...

wow Carol, another spectacular set of finishes your bow is always so seasonal!!!!

Lois said...

Such lovely finishes for your May display Carol! Glad there was an opportunity for all five of you to spend time together, I know only too well how lovely it is when everyone is home. As with you, it happens very rarely now. Well done on getting on your bike!!! I am full of admiration!!! I'm glad things went well when you were clearing out your childhood home. I am looking forward to seeing what treasures you brought home with you.

Catherine said...

Carol, how wonderful that all of your boys were home for the weekend. I can tell you really enjoyed that!
Your May bowl of smalls is delightful ~ so pretty! I don't think I could pick a favorite if I had to.
Oh those brownies look yummy! And wow, I am impressed that you rode so far on your return to biking ~ and on the hills of Pittsburgh no less!

Cindy's Stitching said...

I dont know how you find the time to do all of your smalls. All so pretty. For June I am guessing sunflowers? Glad you had fun with your family. The bike wasnt to bad. The brownies look so good.

Rowyn said...

I love all your flowery/Springy finishes. They are making me crave spring, lol!

Your clematis flowers are beautiful, and a stunning purple colour.

Nancy M said...

Once again you outdid yourself for the May smalls. I have to live vicariously thru you because I would LOVE to have a bowl to display every month...it's just not happening! LOL How nice to have the boys back home, but my goodness 17 miles? Before I even read further, I thought "my butt would be sore!" Too bad I didn't read your blog before I traveled to Pittsburgh last year, would have loved to stop by and see your beautiful garden area. We just had our pond done yesterday, 600 gallons or more! And so this weekend we are adding some finishing touches for this year. I don't want to plant too much at once. I'll get around to blogging about it next week probably! Thanks for the link to Brenda's blog, I'm following that now. She's doing the monthly cottages as I am so it's nice to see them!

♥ Nia said...

I love to watch your beautiful finishes :) all so gorgeous, as always!! :D I'm your fan!!! ;) hahahah
ohhhh myyyyyy.. stop. everything. now. What is that??? I want a piece of that cake!!! ohhhh it look so delicious!! Can I have a piece? =) Can I have the recipe??? I would bake it for sure! Looks delicious :p
.. and now I have to go eat some chocolate hahahahha
hugs to you my friend!! :)

Myra said...

Carol, your posts always bring back such sweet memories. I used to do that with buttercups all the time. Your May smalls are all so pretty - blue and yellow is such a pretty combination.

I used to do a bit of biking myself and should really get back into it. I hope your sitting pretty again by now. :o)

Edit said...

Carol, your May finishes are so beautiful!!! I love them all, but the one with the little birds must be my personal favourite :)

I have just changed the spring decoration to the summer one and I have realized I hardly have any summer pieces, so I must go and get some finished :)

Looking forward to your June bowl, maybe I get some inspiration to my summer deco :)

Have a nice week,
Edit

Parsley said...

Oh my word! You've been so busy. I just love all the goodies you've shown...including the brownies. ;)

Ruth said...

Wow -- biking, brownies, family adventures, AND awesome finishing?! Sounds like a perfect month to me!

Everything you'v done looks so perfect..... especially those darn brownies. I'm going to go enjoy some ice water and NOT think about brownies... not not not not.... dang it!

Solstitches said...

What beautiful designs you chose for your May basket of smalls Carol.
As always each one of them is stitched and finished to perfection.
I love what you did with the little flower spray and ribbons.
My favourite though is the one with the gorgeous blue ruched ribbon trim.

Margaret

Tatkis said...

So many lovely finishes! I love the Nest pincushion soooo much - thanks for the link!

Hugs,
Tatyana

Valentina said...

Another bowl full of beautiful ornaments! Can't wait to see what you'll be stitching in June!

Brigitte said...

Wonderful, just wonderful your display of little spring beauties.

Annette said...

If I scroll down this post, I'm being so happy, so many beautifull things, and colors,.

I love the colors you used on May-blooms, much more prettier that the original, and the finishing up, so beautifull

That freebie, is so wonderfull, love the colors..

That Buttercup piece, is also so beautifull made, love the flowed in the basket.

That lavendel Freebie, you stitched so great and then that bow, and flowers on it

You had/have a beautifull filled bow of May, really wonderfull

You ride a bike?? how great is that, we do that daily here, but I understand that is not normal in every country, I ride my bike every day.
Ow that was a treat... brownies.. I love that , Love baking them to.. you is looking so yummy..
Enjoy riding your bike

Kay said...

All beautiful your bowl full of finishes! You do such amazing work!

Bonnie said...

I can not seem to get through to the French Site that I would like the pattern is there some magic button to go to get the pattern. They send me back that they have received my message but that is all. This is posted late hope you check old posts maybe you can tell us in your new posting where to go... THANKS Really like so many you have that snowman you have now is so CUTE.