Monday, June 30, 2014

Red, White, and Blue

Another year is half-over! Can you believe it? Six months...six whole months of 2014 have already flown past. Unfortunately, our June has been quite rainy and just hasn't felt much like summer. I remember the Junes of my childhood being hot and dry and even smelling like summer--the freshly mown grass, the chlorine in the swimming pool, the delightful scent of mom's sweet peas wafting in as I walked through our back door. And how about the fragrance of those freshly laundered bed sheets dried on a clothesline in the back yard! Ahhh... I want a summer like that again! Of course, we all tend to glorify the "good old days" from time to time. There were also the bee stings, the sunburned cheeks, and the scraped knees from falling off bikes or roller-skates or swings, weren't there?

One thing that always says "summer" to me, though, is the 4th of July. Although I'm not a big fireworks fan, I do love the red, white, and blue fever that sweeps the country this time of year. I truly enjoy patriotic stitching--almost as much as I do stitching Christmas ornaments! This year, I'm adding four new finishes to my bowl of patriotic smalls. First up is one by a new-to-me designer, "Freedom Crow" by Primitive Stitchin'. I stitched it "over one" on 28 ct. Stormy Gray Jobelan and a variety of DMC and GAST threads. As soon as I saw it, I knew exactly how I wanted to finish it off.

"Freedom Crow" design by Primitive Stitchin'

I had purchased these 4" round metal decorative hanging "things" (plates? discs?)  from a local craft store last winter with the intent of using them for Christmas ornament finishing. But, the size and shape of this finish was just perfect for a patriotic piece--especially with the cutout stars that surround the perimeter.


I simply finished it into a round 2-inch shape, glued it to the center, added some DMC 221 cording, made a new hanger out of some homespun, and voilà!


And here it is in its new home hanging from a wooden shelf by my kitchen door... I am so pleased with the way this one turned out and I'm happy to have found a new designer, too. I purchased the pattern through Pattern Mart, which made for an instant download!  It's a great way to buy charts when you don't want to wait for mail delivery--immediate gratification!

 
My next finish is a freebie from The Nebby Needle which you can find right here. If you look at the photo of the model you'll notice that mine looks very different because I stitched it on black. I used 28 ct. black Monaco and stitched it "over one" with GAST (Picket Fence and Wheat Fields), and WDW (Brick and Dungarees) threads. Don't you love those tiny American flags in each corner? Make sure to extend the border if you add little stars as I did...

The Nebby Needle "God Bless America" freebie

To finish it off, I made a flat ornament (without a hanger) while following Vonna's excellent tutorial. This cute American flag printed fabric and some handmade DMC 221 (I use that color more than any other, I think!) finished it off so well. How do you like it? Thanks so much to Bonny of The Nebby Needle for sharing her cute freebies with us!



This cute new freebie from The Stitcherhood just came out last week. You can find the chart here. This one stitched up very quickly--just a few hours... I used DMC 221, 311, and 680 (for the July 4 portion) on 40 ct. antique white Newcastle linen.

The Stitcherhood 4th of July freebie

The finish is a simple, little pillow using the colors of the design in the finishing fabrics. Thank you so much for all of your wonderful  Stitcherhood freebies, Maria! I know I'll be stitching more of them very soon...

And, finally, a teeny tiny finish that started off as something totally different. I found this very old chart called "Patriotic Stocking Stuffers" by Need'l Love and thought the Uncle Sam stocking would be a perfect addition to my patriotic bowl of finishes. Well, the problem is--I stitched it on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle which made it way, way too small to turn into a stocking as there was no way to turn it inside out once you had stitched it to the backing fabric! Hmm... what to do? Well, I simply eliminated all but the main motif, extended the border down both sides, repeated the top border, and added a bunch of smyrna stitches in the background for color.

A teeny Uncle Sam finish

He is very tiny--just an inch wide by 2 1/2 inches long so I added fabric, blue mini ric-rac, and a fabric yo-yo topped off with a star to beef him up a bit. He is backed by the gold and burgundy star fabric shown in the background. I love the final look of the little pillow so much!

And here is a photo of all four of my new patriotic creations. Which one is your favorite? I have to vote for the Freedom Crow, but the teeny Uncle Sam is a close second!

My bowl of red, white, and blue finishes is starting to overflow so I have moved a few of them to other places in my home. But, here you can see all of them in one photo...

All of these were stitched and finished over the past five years. Can you believe that before I began my blog in 2009, I didn't have a single patriotic finish? I love them so much and wish I could keep them on display even longer, but the fact that they are seasonal makes them that much more special when I bring them out each summer. Here is one last picture that you should be able to click to make larger so you can see them better.

I received a special package from my blogging friend, Robin (no blog yet!), who wanted to thank me for sharing an old PS chart with her. I was so touched by her generosity and told her nothing at all is expected when I lend a chart or send a Random Act of Kindness to someone... Truly! But, her gifts were so wonderful, I wanted to share them with you here. She sent a beautiful chart, a lovely blue stitching pocket which included a packet of needles and a new pair of scissors, and a cute ort container. Didn't she spoil me? Thank you so much, Robin--I am thrilled with my goodies!

Gifts from Robin

Blueberry baking is still going on here and last week I made some wonderful Blueberry Banana Bread. Oh, it was really tasty--so moist and delicious. And, it freezes well--always a plus in my book! I know some of you told me you made the Blueberry Buckle from my last post--did you enjoy it?

Blueberry Banana Bread

I really appreciate all the well-wishes for my heel problems that I mentioned in my last post. The Plantar Fasciitis keeps acting up, but it is not unbearable. I'll have a really good day here and there, a really painful day now and then, and in between it is just bothersome. I'm really babying it and have tried to incorporate other exercises into my workout routine rather than the treadmill. I've been riding the exercise bike a bit and lifting my light weights which I'm actually enjoying. The strange thing is that even with the drop-off in my treadmill routine, I've actually lost a pound--strange, eh? I think it is because I'm just not as hungry these days. Either that or I'm losing muscle weight?

Anyway, I am just hoping my foot will be all better before we go to visit our youngest son in Washington, DC next week. For any of you who have been there, you know what a lot of walking is involved! I'm hoping to talk him into spending a day in Old Town Alexandria in Virginia. Have any of you ever been there? Any advice as to what to do or see, places to eat, etc? I'd really appreciate your thoughts!

Well, my friends, I hope you've enjoyed this red-white-and-blue post. I doubt that it holds much interest for those of you outside the United States, but I thank you for bearing with me. Do any of you have special plans for the long weekend? My husband will be returning from a 400+ mile bike ride in Montana and Canada on the 4th of July so I'll be planning a nice picnic with a tasty dessert for his homecoming. And then this weekend we hope to head up to Ohio for a pool party with my brother-in-law and his family assuming the weather cooperates. I hope your holiday is fun and relaxing--be careful around those fireworks!

Thanks for stopping by and for your always welcome and appreciated comments! Bye for now...

I wish all of my U.S. friends
 a happy and safe 4th of July!


93 comments:

  1. WOW!! Your finishes are all ever so pretty! Love the one in the plate, it's perfect :) Take care xx

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  2. I agree with you! That crow finish and Uncle Sam are my favorites. I hope your DC walking won't be a problem. I think scrapes from roller skates and bicycles are better than thumb sprains and numb butt from texting! Have a great (rain free) week.

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  3. Wow! Truly fantastic ...just love them all so adorable . I too have just started my smalls of patriotic so much fun. Enjoy the trip to DC good luck with your P.F. Certainly no fun dealing with that. Safe travels many blessings.....

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  4. Oh Carol, those are fantastic finishes. My favorite is God Bless America. I had not seen that. Thank you for the link. My second favorite is Uncle Sam. :) Have a great week!

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  5. WONDERFUL finishes!!! How creative! Thank you for the link.
    hugs
    xxx

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  6. Love all the cute finishes! I agree, this patriotic stuff always gets me this time of year. I love it! Hope your visit is good and your heel feels better!

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  7. Fabulous patriotic finishes, Carol! I love the Freedom one (you can also buy her charts through Etsy) and the Uncle Sam. Your bowl is a sea of red, white, and blue.

    Enjoy your week!

    Robin in Virginia

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  8. Ohhh I love all your little pieces. Love your new background too. Our neighbors that usually blow fireworks over our house won't be here this year so it will be wonderful, our town has a great show and bbq to enjoy. Have a great week!

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  9. Love your finishes, all are so very Patriotic, the bread looks so yummy, I shall bring the coffee.
    Your gift is a very fine one, what a lovely Lady to send them to you.

    Happy Fourth
    Catherine

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  10. Hi Carol - oh it's much to difficult to pick a favorite - they are all beautiful and your finishes are wonderful! You are very talented & so creative. I just love looking at all of them - so many great designs. Is the bigger round one the top of a box?

    Have a wonderful trip to DC/Virginia to visit your son - so much to see & do there. Is the trip to Ohio when you get to teach your nieces how to cross stitch? I hope you have a great visit and lots of fun!

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  11. Carol what fantastic patriotic finishes!!! You are just so creative and I'm forever impressed with how you finish your projects.

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  12. Wishing you a happy 4th of July .
    Such beautiful work Carol , I wish we had a 4th of July I love all you red white and blue stitching .

    Hope your heel gets better soon , you do need to rest it and no walking for a bit , but I know that's not easy this time of the year , but rest it when you can.
    whishing you hugs & xxx.

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  13. Such eye candy yet again Carol!!!! I love to see all you stitch and put together.... 2009 seems long ago to me also~ I vegan my blogging journey in May '09 and snip- snap here it is 2014.... You have grown and blossomed beautifully in 5 quick years...... I look forward to the next 5 years and enjoying your many talents~~ great job! my friend!

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  14. Like June I wished we had a 4th July day here in the UK - beautiful finishes - hope you soon feel better x

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  15. Happy 4th of Judy week! Such wonderful pieces again Carol! Those plates are PERFECT for ornaments! And your first on is GREAT! the best thing for Plantars Fasciitis is babying it...some nice stretching exercises and that's about it, until one day it just stops hurting. It's horrible! I've had it a couple of different times...and just like yours it was because the shoes were wrong.

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  16. All of you finishes turned out lovely. I hope that you have a lovely time in DC and that the weather is nice for you.

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  17. I am in love with all your patriotic finishes Carol! I do believe the crow is my favorite. I am sorry to hear your feet are still bothersome. I have plantar fascitis too and just finding shoes that are comfortable can be a chore. Wishing you a wonderful 4th my friend!

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  18. LOVE what you did with my God Bless American freebie! ~*

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  19. thx for sharing! A lovely post full of needlework goodness ; )

    Job well done

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  20. That is a fantastic collection for the 4th!!! I am so glad I found you! (I am an American living in Canada so I need all the patriotic stuff I can find!)

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  21. I love all your patriotic pieces, Carol. We've had some 90° weeks, but not in the 100's yet. Know you'll have a nice welcome home for the DH - and he'll probably be ready for some good home cooking! Enjoy your Washington visit. Wear shoes that offer lots of support - even if they're warmer. Safe travels and lots of fun wishes being sent your way!

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  22. Hi Carol, I like all your embroidery, but especially the Uncle Sam and then the flag on July 4. Happy 4th of July and happy summer.

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  23. Carol,

    I am always thrilled when I open my email to find a post from you - and you definitely did not disappoint with this one!! I don't typically stitch July 4th items, but that is going to change. Seeing your bowl of goodies is so inspiring - just love them! Take care of your fee, and have a great trip! Thanks for the links too.

    Pam in KS

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  24. Lovely finishes, I adore Freedom Crow and the way it is finished. Very cute!

    I hope you have an enjoyable time in DC with your son and your heel does not give you to much pain...

    Enjoy your 4th

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  25. Carol, ABSOLUTELY LOVE your patriotic finishes. You are so very talented and creative. When you go to Alexandria, don't fail to visit In Stitches. I was here in April after we had been in Colonial Williamsburg . We drove up to visit Woodlawn Plantation (NELLIE'S NEEDLERS) but it wasn't open at the early hour we were there. I then had my husband drive around (unfortunately we did not have our GPS with us) until we found IN STITCHES. I could spend hours there. It's a most wonderful shop -- lots of charts, fabrics, etc. Please try and get there, you won't regret it.

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  26. Forgot to post the web site: http://institchesneedlework.com/

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  27. The plate was the perfect way to finish off your patriotic crow! I believe my absolute favorite is the long tiny one in the middle with the flag waving over the house. Have a good trip and a happy 4th!

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  28. Oh, Carol - how do you manage it!! All that beautiful stitching, cooking and ex recuse - it puts me to shame!!
    I adore that wonderful 'Freedom Crow' design - and the way you finished it is marvellous - I love those 'disc things' and only wish I could buy them here in the UK.
    It is marvellous to hear of how you will be celebrating the 4th July. Of course, we don't celebrate it here, but it's really good to read about all your USA traditions.
    I hope your foot will get better soon - could it be that the change in your exercise programme has helped with your weight loss - a change is as good as a rest, they say!
    I do hope you, your lovely family and all of our American friends over the 'pond' have a most brilliant 4th July!!
    As for me - I think I might have to stitch the Freedom Crow!!
    Take care, have a wonderful celebration, and a restful break.
    With love,
    Lynda.

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  29. Such creative finishes Carol. My favourite is 'Freedom Crow' in the plate...it's so original and the design is just made for that particular finish. But my overall favourite finish has to be the watermelon 'July'. So juicy!
    Blueberries are a massive hit in this household too. I make blueberry muffins, which are actually more like blueberry cakes. The recipe is from Paul Hollywood. Are you familiar with him? He's from a show called 'The Great British Bake Off'. If you haven't seen it already, I really think you would enjoy it. :0) As an aside, I'm not really impressed with what blueberries do to Ivy's nappies! Is that a little too much information?! ;0)

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  30. You are definitely ready for the 4th! Love all your new cuties and the 'hanging thingies' were a great find. You did a perfect round finish.

    Hope you have some good shoes for walking around. Maybe multiple pairs of socks, light weight and cushioned, since if you are like me, your feet swell in the heat. You'll have fun wandering around in Old Town. I haven't been down there in quite a while, but there's plenty to see.

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  31. Lovely. I also really like Patriotic stitching. I am working on a very large one, though, so it won't be done THIS 4th of July, anyway.

    Pam

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  32. Love your finishes, Carol, especially the Freedom Crow on the plate - looks terrific! Like you, we've had a wet June and I remember and yearn for the warm Junes of yesteryear. :) Happy July 4th!

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  33. Thank you for sharing all of your patriotic finishes, Carol! They are all fabulous, and really put me in a patriotic mood!! I would have to choose Freedom Crow as my favorite, but it was a tough decision. : )

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  34. Your patriotic pieces are beautiful! I love them all!

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  35. Gorgeous finishes Carol. They are all lovely and to hard to pick just one.

    Linda

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  36. What a lovely 4th of July post Carol. All of the added red, white, and blue stitches are so pretty. I can't pick a favorite. From my childhood I remember corn on the cobb fresh from the farmer with butter salt and pepper. Mr. Softee, I used to get the flying saucers and the dipped strawberry cone. Riding my bike for hours at a time. Yes, life was different then. Happy 4th of July my friend.

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  37. Fabulous stitcheries, it's so great to see all the finishes you do.You have an amazing collection of "themed" projects. Your blog is great. Shirley N.Z.

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  38. Amazing finishes, Carol! I especially love that first one on the plate, what a clever idea!

    Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend! I hope to see some fireworks and planning for an outdoor concert.

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  39. Love all your patriotic finishes. They are just wonderful! Fingers crossed your foot is ok for your visit to your DS in DC. Yes, there's lots of walking involved for sure! Happy 4th!

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  40. Wow! Lots of good things in this post. There is something about a patriotic project isn't there? I think my favorite of the 4 is the crow too. I think it has to do with the unusual piece you found for the backing. Brilliant!

    Enjoy your trip and I do hope your PF doesn't flair up! Hoping it won't be too hot either.

    Oh...just one more thing...one thing I remember most about summer is being barefoot all the time. Riding my bike and going over a speed bump and stubbing my big toe every single time. But I wouldn't even being to wear shoes! Silly!

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  41. I just love "Carol posts"! It's always so fun to see what you've finished over the past month. I think my favorite this time is the crow chart.... I was going to say "cute crow chart", but can crows be cute??? :) Glad to here that your foot is doing better and that you are babying it. It's better to let it heal completely than to try to push it!!

    Happy 4th!

    Tricia

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  42. My favorite is the crow but, as usual, all of your finishes are simply amazing and lovely. I had plantar fasciitis. (I didn't know you had it, I must have missed your last post) I went to a well known podiatrist and he gave me a cortisone shot. It really took care of the problem. I will email you with another thing that helped me a lot.

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  43. Carol you are the Queen of Creative Finishes! I could not possibly chose a favorite. Happy 4th!

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  44. Wow they all so beautiful ..I love them all
    Big hugs x

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  45. I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating 4th of July. All of your patriotic finishes are perfect, but my vote goes to Freedom Crow too, it's such an inventive finish.
    Best wishes.

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  46. Hi Carol! Happy July 4th! We are celebrating Canada Day today. I love your patriotic bowl. Your finishes are spectacular as always! I don't think I can choose a favourite but love the finish on the Freedom Crow! I am always fascinated by your stitching on black.
    Hope you have a great week and happy stitching! (thanks for another great recipe!) I hope your foot continues to improve.
    hugs, Wanda

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  47. Love your finishes Carol ! Especially the crow :) Might have to buy that pattern ! It is finished so cute ! All of your patriotic finishes are fabulous !Hope your foot starts feeling better so you can keep up in D.C. !! Happy 4th to you and your family !

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  48. What a great post, as usual! Four patriotic finishes--congrats! I especially love the round discs you used for the first finish--gonna keep an eye out! I've got to get busy finishing my America stitch--and I think I will do a mounted flat finish! Have a great time with family! Hugs!

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  49. Your patriotic ornament bowl looks amazing! I really love the crow finish, but the Uncle Sam is my favorite. Just adorable!
    And your baking always looks yummy!
    Have fun on your travels and Fourth of July!

    Ana Paula.

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  50. LOVE all the Americana pillows, but I must say that the 'Freedom Crow' is my favorite!! I had seen that one awhile back and should have purchased it then, lol. In fact, I think I have that same star tin plate somewhere stashed away! ha

    I can't believe you're not fond of fireworks ~ seems unAmerican ~ just kidding!!!

    Glad your foot is better! and your gifts from Robin are wonderful!!

    Happy 4th Carol! Forgot to mention that I enjoyed seeing your pic in that magazine ~ it's so nice to put a face to a name!!

    Hugs,
    Tanya

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  51. Oh, what a lovely, summery post Carol!
    I love all of your patriotic stitches, especially the eagle mounted on the disc. It's such a unique finish.
    Little Uncle Sam is adorable :)

    Congratulations on 5 years of beautiful blogging and friendship.

    Thank you too, for the links to the adorable stitches and for the yummy recipes.
    As I write this, I'm looking at a bunch of bananas ripening in the heat and think I will try your banana blueberry bread.

    Enjoy your trip to D.C. Bill is there for the summer, too.
    I heard the trolley in Alexandria is fun and it's free!
    I hope your foot is feeling better for your trip....lots of walking there.
    HUGS to you my friend...Happy 4th

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  52. You were really very busy with stitching.
    Your patriotic ornies are beautiful.
    Have a wonderful 4th of July.
    Big hugs from Germany
    (Did you get my e-mail?)

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  53. I love your patriotic finishes. That was very creative using the round plates and turning them into ornaments.

    Happy 4th of July to you and your family Carol.

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  54. Oh my, I love your bowl of patriotic finishes! I think the pillow finishes are my favorite as I love your choice of fabrics and trims that you pull together to make the perfect pillow. That is true eye candy. Enjoy your trip and Happy 4th.

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  55. SONOFAGUN, a plate finish! Well isn't that clever. And adorable! These are all fabulous. I love, love, love this theme as well. Something about the red, white and blue (and hint of gold) just really does it for me. And your blog matches just perfectly for this post. :)

    That's one of the things I love about DC (aside from all the free museums) - lots and lots of walking. I do enough sitting around at home, don't need it on vacation as well. Have fun there next week!

    Hope you have a nice holiday weekend. :) Your husband is going to need the downtime after that kind of bike ride. 400 miles - yikes! God bless him. I hope, for his sake, the weather was a lot cooler up there then it has been on the coast this week. *phew*

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  56. Gorgeous patriotic finishes Carol! They are all amazing but I think I agree with you and that the Freedom Crow is my favorite too. It is just amazing how fast the first half of the year has flown. I am always behind! lol Love the cute gifts from Robin and the blueberry break. Yummy!

    I hope you have a nice visit in DC. Can't wait to hear all about it. I am planning on driving up the coast for some oysters with a friend and then go to a house party where there will be a fantastic view of the fireworks. Should be fun! Enjoy the holiday weekend!

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  57. Hello Carol,
    your patriotic finishes are all so wonderful this year (as every year). My favorite is the Freedom Crow - I love it, how you finished it. Stunning!
    The complete bowl of patriotic stitching is so wonderful (and already to small for all those wonderful treasures you finished)
    A wonderful Independence Day for you and your family and a great time in Washington DC next week. I really wished I could be there too. I really loved it walking through your capital - and now, I think, all these construction works between Capital Hill and Washington Monument are finished.

    Enjoy your wonderful trip!

    Hugs
    Hilda

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  58. Have a wonderful trip Carol, enjoy spending time with your loved ones.
    I hope the foot doesn't give you too much pain.
    Your bowl looks full of loveliness, the new round finish is lovely, what a great find they were.

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  59. Hola Carol, cada día tus trabajos son más bonitos, preciosos para el día especial de tu país, tienes una colección muy interesante !!

    Además el acabado en plato es fantástico. Mmmmhh me muero por probar un poco de ese delicioso cake ^^
    disfruta de este cuatro de julio, y estés radiante de salud y vitalidad,
    un abrazo muy grande

    ^^
    besos

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  60. Oh summer as child, wasn't it fun? You got to stay out later since there was no school and it got dark later. Playing outside and the ice cream truck would come around. Yeah, beestings were no fun. My one and only was from stepping on one in the front yard.

    Your finishes are fabulous as usual. Love the little tin you used. Your filled bowl looks great! Thanks for the link for Pattern Mart. I see lots of potential spending there. ;)

    Hope your heal feels better soon. I think the variety in your workout explains your weight loss too. You will plateau if you don't switch it up now and then.

    Have a wonderful time at the pool party and visiting your son. I will ask my friend about Alexandria for you. She lives in Virgina.

    Happy 4th and home coming for your DH.

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  61. Carol ... Love the patriotic finishes even though I'm not American. The colours are correct but not the designs! A wonderful display. Enjoy your trip. I hope everyone has a great 4th of July.

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  62. WOW I am in AWE!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE all your finishes. I too bought Freedom Crow but haven't gotten to stitch it yet. And now I want to finish it just like yours! FABULOUS ideas you have!
    What an incredible collection of patriotic stitches you have.
    Sweet Happy 4th of July to you too!
    love Annette

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  63. You're so creative with your finishes and all looks gorgeous!
    Such great collections you have.

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  64. I love the Red, White and Blue too! And I love all the stitching in your post! Those round plates with the star cutouts are awesome. The way you used one to finish "Freedom Crow" is awesome. I have nothing out to celebrate the 4th with -- in fact, I still have the "Spring" pillow hanging in my reading corner, lol. Just been too busy, I guess.

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  65. You are the Queen of Finishing! Everything is just lovely and you have outdone yourself again! I love patriotic stuff, so this is so much fun to see!
    Happy Fourth!

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  66. Wonderful stitching Carol and beauiful finishes.Your display is really lovely.Happy Independence Day.

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  67. I really enjoyed this post Carol.
    Your patriotic finishes are all so lovely.
    What a novel use you found for the ......candle holders? I'm not sure what they are but you found the perfect use for them.
    Lovely gifts from Robin.
    Happy 4th!
    Margaret

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  68. Carol you are so full of inspiration! I absolutely love your ornament idea. It's so cleaver, as are all of your finishes! Your home is wonderful!
    Thank you for sharing with us.

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  69. You already have 71 comments & I can't imagine you having to deal with one more, but I'll just say "wonderful finishes, wonderful post" ... as always : )

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  70. I always get so many ideas here!

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  71. Hi Carol,

    What a fabulous patriotic post! And such a great idea for finishing Patriotic Crow. Each of the finishes is simply perfect. You are going to need a bigger bowl!

    Hope you have a great time visiting your son...and that your foot will not bother you too much.

    Hard to believe the 4th has come and gone. We always have a nice celebration in our small town. It was absolutely beautiful weather for being outdoors.

    Until next time..happy summer!

    Judy Heartland stitcher

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  72. Such wonderful finishes for July. Your July bowl is literally overflowing with all your beautiful little pillowsnad pinkeeps. I'm still far away from having such an amount of smalls to fill my monthly baskets. But in a couple of yeras maybe. Your finishing is very inspiring again, so many new ideas again. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  73. Gorgeous finishes, congratulations

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  74. Beautiful stitching as always! I love how you finished everything! Hope you had a good Fourth of July and wonderful time visiting with family!

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  75. Hello carol and thank You for visting my blog again :) I actually like all your patriotic red,white and Blue stitchings and really think that all the "Americana" style of decorations are super cool !!
    And I admire the beautifull patriotic spirit ypu americans have myour country have interesting history and many ,many thngs to proud of !! Even your flag is so beaitifull with those bold three colours of red ,white and blue :) :) With Blessings Maija from Finland ( our flag has the light blue cross the white background.



    It means that Finland is a Christian country with white snow in winter and the blue colour means that we have thousands of blue coloured lakes :)

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  76. Always lots of fabulous finishes, Carol! You do such a wonderful job. Pattern Mart is nice, isn't it. :) What a lovely package from Robin! The Blueberry Buckle was delicious ~ now on to the bread. :) Hope you enjoy your trip to Washington DC and your visit with your son. A day in Old Town Alexandria sounds wonderful. :)

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  77. You stitched some lovely Patriotic designs and finished it beautifully. Love the plate and your fabulous Patriotic collections

    The bluberry banana looks delish.

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  78. Ohhh seasons are not the same anymore, very different from just 10 years ago =/
    Beautiful stitching as always :) my favorite is the stitcherhood july 4 pillow :)
    What a great collection you have so far!!! :D

    Sorry I missed reading your blog for a while, catching up now ;) heheheh

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  79. Great post, Carol, I really enjoyed reading it and seeing all of your patriotic finishes. I must say that Uncle Sam is my favourite! I loved seeing the photo of all of your patriotic pieces and I have to ask - who is the designer of the one with the cat on the hill? I love kitty cats, as I am sure you know. I have said it before, but maybe not to you, it is such a shame that we do not have designers stitching such lovely Australian patriotic designs but then maybe for the best, as 26th January, Australia Day, the day the first fleet landed in Australia is seen by Aboriginal Australians as Invasion Day, so there is a lot of ambivalence about it now.

    Great gifts from Robin, I am stitching Springtime Messenger atm - such a gorgeous piece. Re your plantar fasciitis, I had that about 10 years ago, it was so painful and took about a year to clear up,sorry to say.
    Wow, a very long comment, sorry! hugs, Kaye

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  80. Oh Carol, all of your sweet patriotic finishes are just wonderful. I always love seeing how beautifully you finish each piece.....so inspiring! I love the lovely gifts that you received from Robin too.

    Hope that your feet were feeling more comfortable so that you could enjoy your week with your son.

    Blessings, dear Carol.

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  81. Wow, your work is incredible! You inspire me.
    Andréia (Curitiba - Brazil)

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  82. We can trade weather for a week?!! How about that? I would love some rain to cool things off. June and now July is proving to be a grand ol' heat wave. Not good for me I'm afraid. Anywho, love all of your patriotic stitching! I should have sent you a few patriotic charts I have to you since I just can't bring myself to stitch them...I guess I could change it to a more Canadian type design?! I really love those star metal plates thingies!! Very creative use of them! I'm always amazed at what you and others can think of to finish a stitched piece. All I can think of is pillows! I hope you had a wonderful vacation in Virginia. Can't wait to see some photos from your trip! Hugs to you dear Carol!

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  83. Dear Carol,
    I just love your finish under your Welcome at the top of your blog. I also love the watermelon in the group picture.
    Where can I get these patterns? They are the prettiest patriotic pieces I have ever seen.
    As always, thank you so much for sharing.

    Best Wishes,
    Aunt Bea

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  84. Love the Patriotic finishes so happy I seen tis post as I have the book/leaflet also and do not want the stockings. You have giving me a great idea but mine will be on aida wheatstraw color or some shade like that. Always love your work. The crows are always a favorite with me too.

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  85. Hi Carol,

    Wow!!! Everything is so beautiful, the red and white collection is fanatastic!

    Hope your foot feels better soon.

    Lynn B

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  86. Firstly your Patriotic stitching...PERFECTION! I've had a spate of that recently myself :)
    Secondly...I suffer from plantar fasciitis. I have it severely as I have heel spurs. I had a flare of it recently after 5 years of it being dormant and I had to go have cortisone injections again. Its on the mend but I was a huge daily walker. I've had to stop that and have started doing my elliptical and biking outside instead. But something that my podiatrist told me (and I went out and did) was: buy Birkenstock sandals. When he told me I was like....UGLY!!!!!!
    But honest to heavens I went and bought a pair (Mayari Sandals) they name them all by different cities/places...anyway these are cute and although at first I thought they made my feet hurt more, I kept wearing them because he said in two weeks time after they mold to your feet you will thank me. Well....let me tell you, since the beginning of June, I have purchased two more pairs. One for solely in the house as people who suffer from PF should never walk barefooted. So I bought a pair of Arizona Sandals as "house shoes" (now these are ugly in my opinion but I wanted to wear socks with them in the winter when it is cold, so my tootsies don't freeze!)anyway looks be damned! I'm going to buy some clogs for winter because these shoes have changed my life. LITERALLY!

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  87. Hope you had a lovely 4th of july!!!
    I'm so late on reading and comemnting.. hihi!!
    Time flies so fast!!!
    Finish a piec on a plate????
    How awesome.. it loos so great!!!
    I need to find a beautiull white plate to do something like that!!
    Looks awesome
    You made so many beautifull pieces!!
    And as always a awesome finish off!!!
    Really beautifull!!!Your display looks so great!!
    I hope you will have beautifull wetahre and a awesome summer!!
    happy crafting

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  88. I am not even a huge fan of patriotic pieces, and those are just fantastic!!! I love, love, love the one done on the star plate - you are so clever with your finishes!

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  89. Your finishes...GASP!! So lovely!!

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  90. Carol, I love all of your patriotic stitching!! I love how you have finished them!! I need to add some patriotic stitching to my to stitch list.

    What a lovely gift!!

    Your banana blueberry bread looks amazing. I wish I could eat bananas. :o(

    I hope you are having a lovely day!

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Hello! So glad you dropped in and thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! I truly appreciate each and every one...I'm happy to try to answer any questions you may have, but please make sure to include your email address so I can get back to you...

Hope you have a wonderful day!
Carol