Happy May, everyone! I hope your weather has warmed up like mine has--finally... It feels so wonderful to walk outside without a coat and simply feel the sun's warmth on my face. It truly was a long, hard winter and not the best to be adjusting to retirement. I hope that I'm breaking out of my cocoon bit by bit now that the weather is nicer and more activities seem to be filling my calendar. Baby steps...
I've decided that I'm a very slow stitcher! I know it's not a race and the older I get, the more I am stitching just for the pure relaxation of feeling the needle go in and out of the fabric in that special rhythm that it has. And that's one reason why I could never do Stitch Maynia and start a new project each day--it would drive me batty! Why stress myself out? How about you? Are you participating in Stitch Maynia this year?
Well, I was bitten by the bee bug recently (or stung, should I say!) as bee themed stitching seems to be calling my name more and more these days. This first finish is a delightful older 2002 sampler from Ewe & Eye & Friends called "Old Rose and Chamomile" which is stitched on 40 ct. antique white Newcastle linen. Oh, the colors--could they be more spring-like? I used Gentle Arts "Antique Rose" to create the brick-like appearance of the house, using both the light and dark portions of the thread to form little bricks, and I love how it turned out. My sampler should actually be called "Old Rose and Dandelion Stem" as I substituted GAST "Dandelion Stem" for the called for "Chamomile." It doesn't have nearly the same ring though, does it?! The other change I made to the colors was substituting WDW "Collards" for DMC 3051.
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| "Old Rose and Chamomile" |
The specialty stitches in these Ewe & Eye & Friends designs add such a lovely dimensional look to the finish, don't they? Here are a couple of close-ups so you can see them better. If you haven't tried specialty stitches, please give them a try--they are not hard to do and are actually quite fun! In other changes, I stitched the pretty eyelet stitches on the right vine in the same color as the house and added a tiny doorknob to the front door.
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| Some of the beautiful specialty stitches |
And just look at that giant bee--I love him! The black portion of his body is done in satin stitch along with portions of the grass, urn, and door (which you can see in the photo above).
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| Rhodes stitches on the flower centers |
Stitching this chart now has me on a hunt for more of the Ewe & Eye & Friends house charts. I'd like to stitch and frame them and hang them all together on the wall of one of my bedrooms. They can be hard to find, though, so I'll be haunting eBay and Etsy for a while!
I also had another small, but very cute bee finish that I made into a tiny pillow. Another Ewe & Eye & Friends chart, this one is called "Bee Hive Scissor Companion." It was meant to be turned into a scissor fob, but I went in a different direction. It began with a fairly simple and straightforward finish (although all that satin stitching did cause a bit of a headache for me on the 32 ct. lambswool jobelan).
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| A tiny Ewe & Eye & Friends beehive |
This was one where the finishing actually took longer than the stitching, but I think it looks so darling. Do you think a bowl full of bee pillows might be in my future? Hmmm...
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| First finish for a new bee bowl??? |
And look! Everyone's favorite crow couple, Ida Mae and Ira Ray are now framed--and I did it myself! Yay! I used the tutorial on this blog post from With Thy Needle and Thread and am so proud of myself. I purchased the frames online from Franken Frames so I spent less than $25 for each frame. My husband cut out the foam core board for me which was a huge help so I know more self-framing will be in my future. If you are new to my blog and want to read more about the crow couple finishes, just click here.
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| The crows are framed--now I need to figure out the perfect place to hang them! |
Do you purchase a lot of stash? I've been watching a few Floss Tube videos lately and have to admit that I'm shocked at how much fabric and how many threads and charts many of these stitchers purchase--each week! I guess I am frugal, but I seem to purchase very little. Or maybe I'm just being realistic; at age 63 I know I already have way more charts than I will ever be able to stitch. That being said, I did purchase a few goodies last week--all of them at a great price on either eBay or online cross stitch shop sales. I was especially excited to get the "Home for the Holidays" book (Blackbird Designs) as it included some of my very favorite designs. Would you like a closer look?
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| A few new goodies for me! |
Here are just four of the designs I am looking forward to stitching from the BBD booklet! I know many of you have already stitched one or more of these and thoroughly enjoyed them.
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| Which one should I stitch first? |
Giveaway... And I have one last stitchy thing--a chart giveaway. In honor of spring and all the singing birds that awaken me each morning (way too early!), I am offering this beautiful Teresa Wentzler chart which I removed from the August 1998 issue of Just Cross Stitch Magazine. You could stitch all five birds as a bellpull or stitch each one individually--either would be lovely. If you would like a better look at the chart, click here. If you are interested in giving this chart a new home, please let me know in your comments. And please remember--this is NOT the whole magazine, just five pages of it that will be folded and mailed in a legal sized envelope to save money. PLEASE make sure to include your email address or I won't be able to contact you... I'll announce the winner the next time I post (probably toward the end of May).
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| If you are interested in giving this chart a new home--let me know in your comment! |
I'll leave you with a couple of photos of the glorious spring trees and flowering shrubs in bloom in my yard--I so wish this time of year would last longer!
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| Our beautiful white crabapple blooms by our patio each May |
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| ♥♥♥ Home ♥♥♥ |
Thank you all so much for stopping by. Whether you are a long-time reader or a new follower, I'm so glad you visited me today. Thank you for each and every comment--I love reading them and I do appreciate the time it takes to write them. If you have any questions for me, please make sure to include your email in your comments so I can get back to you, okay? Enjoy your week, my friends! Bye for now...
70 comments:
Carol, Thank you for commenting on my blog, so I could find you. I also like bee themed stitching pieces. You have some gorgeous finishes. Your self framing turned out very nice. It is so expensive to have it done by the framer. I am frugal about my stash purchases and the older I get the less I am inclined to buy. That said, I would still like to be included in your giveaway! Thank you.
Love this Ewe and Eye and Friends piece. I've been adding a few of their patterns to my stash. I've been stashing too much lately but it's so fun to have the charts and add to the collection! :) Have a great week!
So many pretty stitching things Carol, I especially love the crow couple. The weather has improved over here too and today it actually got to 20 degrees with us - it was wonderful, at last we have colour in the garden. Your blooms are so pretty.
The picture of your home is gorgeous. Congrats on the great finishes and you did a great job of framing. Love your new stash.
Linda
Such a beautiful home! Yes, I think a bee bowl is in your future. By coincidence, I searched for that E&E chart online the other day. Your thread choices and stitching are just perfect. I sold all of mine even though I loved the designs, but I will never stitch them. So why am I looking? Just for pretend!
Your crab apple tree is beautiful as is your home. Sew the beautiful cardinal one first (upper left corner). I love bees too but have not done much as I am working on an alphabet sampler. dstorjohann57@gmail.com
I think a bee bowl would be lovely,you go for it. I will be really interested to see how many different crosstitch designs there will be to stitch. Your garden and your home looks so lovely, Spring is a beautiful season for the colours and new growth even though it can still be pretty cold.It's in the middle of Autumn here and cooling down temperature wise. Love your framed crows and such a lovely professional looking job. Have a great week.
The front of your home looks very inviting, Carol. Are you able to sit out on the porch and stitch? Well done on getting Ida and Ira framed! I like the frames you chose for them. Both of your bee finishes are super with their lovely colors. Enjoy your week!
I am loving all things "bee" too, and I love that one you did. And great framing job! I have been doing my finishings similar to Priscilla's since that style suits my decor.
Love your house! Maybe a tour sometime?? I'm nosy that way! i think we are all glad for this warmer weather. It was a hard winter, wasn't it?
Oh Carol I always look so forward to your posts .
Love your two new designs and the finish of the bee.
Also great frames for the crows .
Great stash , I always love a bit of new stash but know I won't finish all my stash but I still love Looking at it and can spend many an hour just looking at it all , what could be better.
So happy you are into Spring and things are warming up for you, here we have had a summer weekend yesterday was so hot and my face is red this morning ha.
Enjoy your week hugs.
What a treat to find a post from you this morning Carol! I love your sampler and the way you stitched the bricks is so clever! We love bee things in our house, my younger son is obsessed with all living things but especially bees and spiders so I too have a few bee stitches in my stash!
I hope Spring has settled in now and you can start to get out and enjoy the birds and bees of course!
Carol, anch'io sono lenta, ma il ricamo deve essere un piacere, non uno stress! Adoro le api, le sto ricamando anch'io!
Love your Bee finishes... I think that idea of a bee bowl is a great idea :o) Bee charts always seem to be so happy!
I am doing Stitch Maynia... even though I am a very slow stitcher too and will probably never get half of what I start finished.. :o)
I have to totally agree with you about stash purchases - I really don't know how these people can afford to spend so much each week on supplies - I have a couple of fabric of the month subscriptions and buy charts & threads occasionally, but I could never sustain the kind of spending I see on Flosstube for any length of time - we would be broke! ;o( Of course, if I could win the lottery that would be a different kettle of fish! ;o)
Hugs x
So much lovely stitching, love how you finished the little bee hive, so cute!
I too wonder at the amount of craft supplies some people buy, apart from the storage there is realistically only so much we can stitch, (or knit, or crochet). I find as I get older I don't want to be storing lots of things that I might never use.
PS. I LOVE your house! :-)
Love those ewe & Eye charts, but yes, hard to find now.
Love, love, love how the house turned out with the shading of the bricks. Awesome!
The bee hive pillow is too cute.
Yes! a bowl of bee finishes!
Great job on Ida & Ira.
Beautiful home!
Have a great week.
Marilyn
I absolutely love your bee designs, so pretty, Ewe and Eye is a new name for me to look out for.x
Your bee finishes are gorgeous
Carol, I love those finishes but those crows...oh my goodness how sweet! And what a great job you did in framing them. I am the same age as you and I have more things than I will ever stitch but I cannot help myself when it comes to new charts. I saw that Prairie Schooler just released Village Green and I have wanted that one for years. ( But I was not going to pay EBAY prices.). I will stitch it up in the next month or so. Right now I am switching from patriotic to fall stitches. Floss Tube is a real enabler. If I did not watch it I would not know what I am missing.lol
"Old Rose and Chamomile" is lovely. I really like the bricks. Ida Mae and Ira Rae turned out great! I really prefer framing myself if I can. You save so much money. I too cannot believe how much ladies spend on stash! It is crazy. I am very frugal AND I LIKE IT THAT WAY! Your home is looking so pretty Carol. Happy Spring!
Oh my Carol...where to begin!!! Your Ewe and Eye and Friends pieces are so sweet and you know I LOVE the bee designs! I'm thinking a "bee" bowl could be in my future too....probably more of a bee 'day dream'. LOL I wanted to let you know that the E&E&F charts are still available though Ruth Sparrow at Twisted Threads. She bought the rights to the E&E&F designs when they stopped designing years ago. She only sells wholesale but shops can still order these for you. They have always been one of my favorite designers and I too love their house pieces.
No Maynia for me, but it sounds like it could be a good format for revisiting the "stash" and getting some order going on what's next in the line up.
Glad spring has finally sprung in PA!
Carol, wonderful stitching...brick shading was perfect! And framing too you are one talented lady😘 I love all the bee 🐝 stitches too & have several in my stash...many blessing for a peaceful week....
You have such lovely finishes! I am interested in the birdhouses chart. Have a wonderful day!
I am a big Ewe & Eye & Friends fan, even thought I don't have any of their charts. I've seen some of their charts on instagram & floss tube, and the specialty stitches really create a lovely project. I'm always on the lookout for their charts, and could probably try some of the specialty stitches in my other projects. Happy Stitching.
It's always a treat to see what you've accomplished! I love your shading on the bricks! Also, love your cute bee project and it's finishing. Ida Mae and Ira Ray are an adorable couple. Congrats on framing them yourself! I'm glad spring has finally arrived. Your flowers are gorgeous! Enjoy the warmer weather!
Hi Carol,
"Old Rose and Chamomile" I like very much, a nice pattern. Also, the combination with the special stitches I find very suitable.
I've already seen the little apiary on Instagram - just great.
My stash is not too big, but sometimes you just can not resist - I collect rather Friebees.
Oh, I love patterns with birds, and this one looks so magical. I am happy to participate in your raffle.
Big hugs, Martina
Great finishes! The crow couple look fantastic in their frames. You have a beautiful home. It's always been my dream to live in a home of that style. Unfortunately, they are few and far between in the Phoenix area...
I think your spring photos of foliage are so beautiful! I've heard it said that "This hobby is two hobbies: stitching AND stashing!" After pondering that, I went through my supplies again and made a hard purge! Basically, it's my M.O. or motto not to collect ANYTHING. I believe in being prepared, and part of that is stocking supplies, but as I am sure you are aware as a Librarian by profession that any collection needs curation, and maintenance and culling are a big part of that! Anything I bring in will need periodic cleaning, re-shuffling (those just to keep it fresh, both the individual items and the group at large.), and possibly eventual culling. I want to stay "present", and "own my things" rather than "having my things own me". I HAVE been bulking up my physical book Library lately, though! You just can't wind down of an evening with a digital book the same way!
I don't buy new things—charts, for example—unless I am truly going to use it "now" or "next" (wherein "next" is a truly soon date. Not 6 months out, for example! Sometimes have to do a gut-check to be sure I'm being realistic!)
Carol: I am a fan of Bee's, I have a small collection in my kitchen of stitching with my blackbirds.
I buy a few things at a time a few times a year, I am not hoarding any longer due to my age.
I am OCD when it comes to stitching one project at a time, so Stitch Mania would not be for me, I like to see finishing soon.
You have some beautiful finish's here.
Thank-you for sharing with us.
Blessings
Catherine
The bee stitch is adorable and the special stitches do make both pieces so nice. I love how the brick house turned out. The color change suited it well.
Many of your thoughts are mine. I love the relaxing feel of stitching, but I don't like to be in a rush. I have tried stitching on multiple things at once and am finding that is not for me. I like one project at a time. Maybe small going if I am doing a really large piece.
I have taken to writing things down in a list that I see and want. That way I have to think about it before I buy it, because I have way more than I am going to get done anytime soon.
Spring is lovely for sure and can last a good long time.
what a beautiful setting and those crabapple blooms oh my! Thank you for sharing. And I would love to enter to give your bird pattern a new home. Can't wait for your next blog.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful finishes. I LOVE bees and your finishes are too cute. I love the specialty stitches - I just finished a sampler with quite a few and I loved how it turned out, and those stitches certainly do add something special to your finished work. I too have wondered about the stashes that get accumulated (I know I would be broke if I bought that much every month!), my budget for the entire year is less than what some folks buy in a week :) Your crab apple tree is quite lovely when in bloom, thanks for sharing the lovely pictures - I love seeing yards come to life when spring hits, and I too would love this season to last a bit longer. I would love to stitch those lovely birds :)
Dear Carol, you have beautiful new goodies! It's hard to choose :-)
Crows in black frame I like it!
Bees, honey, I love it :-)
Beautiful May!
Love your blog. It’s how I got interested in stitching again after a lapse of several years. I happened upon your blog and started readin* and fell in love with your ornaments. I too am shocked at all the stash some people have. Baskets of charts. And tons of threads of all kinds. I too have more than I ever can stitch and keep seeing more I like on Instagram. So much talent out there. I’m stitching one new thing for Maynia just so I can say I did. Love your pretty house. Do a tour sometime.
Pat Schwartz
I've been stung by the Bees too! I just ordered two bee strawberry charts by Erica Michaels. I've been bitten by the strawBerry bug too especially after seeing 2 Flosstubers show their strawberries-Farm Girl and Sampler Bird. How beautiful with the big ribbon on top. I'm more of a less is more kinda girl but those strawberry toppings just call my name. I don't like big gawdy bows-I think they take away from the stitched piece. Yes, some of them show a lot of purchases. If they're young and can afford it I'm happy for them. Of course that's where I want want want-I don't need but I sure want, especially after seeing a pattern that looks ugly to me but stitched up they're beautiful. Some designers need to invest more in photographers I guess. I was going to try to win the bell pull but I put on my brakes and checked the 3 DVD back issues of JCS to see if it was in the DVD and it was. I'm splurging some this month because my birthday is coming up. I don't get gifts from anyone and that's fine-I buy my own gifts and I never have to return them (unless something is broke or missing). Enjoy the beauty around us-love crabapple flowers. Take care
What a beautiful home you have, Carol....and your gardens must be soooo lovely...you always have beautiful flowers.
As I said on Instagram...your new stitches are gorgeous...love the bees!
Hi, Carol! Really enjoyed your post. Oh, that little bee pillow is darling! I just love the little bee charm. Perfect touch. I can see all the work you put into the finish, and it was time well spent. Would love to learn from you how you make your finishes so neat.
Great job on the framing! I checked out the tutorial, and it’s a little bit different from how I do it, but it looks like a great method. When I do the lacing all the way across the back in both directions, I find that I can remove the pins. (Found this out when I started running out of pins and didn’t want to special order more! Haha)
I’m with you on the stitching time and the stash. My husband loves to spoil me rotten, but he does freak out *a little* when my monthly orders from 123 stitch creep into the triple digits! I’ve been working on some of my own designs, which has taken an immense amount of time, but that does help free up my budget for linen rather than more patterns. I’m in a linen-buying mood lately.
Have a lovely warm week!
Carol, it is 90 degrees here as I type. We had about three months of spring and it is now summer:( Glad it has finally warmed up on your side of the country. Old Rose and Chamomile is so pretty, the colors are perfect together. I think I might be the only hold out on Bees! But I do like a Heartstrings Samplery chart with a bee on it. I might be lucky to buy a chart or two a month or month and half. I have so many kitted up projects that I feel I should stitch those before buying other charts. Nice stash! That BBD book is great and there is a SAL going on in September for the red Cardinal pattern, can't remember the name. I will be taking part in that. Ira and Ida look right at home in their new homes! Very nice. It's always great to see a new post from you. Hope the rest of this week is wonderful!
I love your finishes and this one is no exception. A bee bowl sounds wonderful! EEF has so many wonderful designs and I think it is a little bit like what is old is new again, especially with these classic designers like EEF.
Oh, Carol, Stitch Maynia isn't necessarily all new starts. Some people are doing all WIPs, some are stitching new starts like myself, some are doing 18 projects and some are stitching for 31 days. I guess when it started it was all new starts but it has now morphed into whatever you want to do. It's fun. You can jump in right now if you wanted to!
Love your stitching and finishing! im definitely signing up for the first annual Finish with Carol retreat! 😉😘 And I love your new charts! That BBD book is full of gems and you know I love Good Saint Nick! Thanks for sharing your thread changes for your Ewe and I beauty. I found the chart at Stitching Bits and Bobs. i know they take forever but it does always arrive. I’m in no hurry. The flowering trees around your house are gorgeous! Thank goodness winter is finally over!!! 💚💚💚 Tricia (preb409, but i think you know that, even though i havent ever said here.)
It's finally warm here too in Indiana. Doesn't matter if you are slow or fast as long as you enjoy stitching. That's all that matters in my opinion at least. I'm allergic to bees but yours are cute. Love your finished finish. Perfect as always. Great job on the frames. I don't like framing my own stuff. Getting the fabric stretched right is the part that I had the hardest time with. Yes I purchase too much stash haha. But I've seen patterns become not available and it scared me into to buying them when I see them. I love the birds on your giveaway but I stitched a TW before and told myself I would never do another haha. Beautiful home!
Your home and the trees are simply beautiful. I do love seeing the earth come alive in the spring. Your house design is delightful and I think I do see more bees in your future. A bee bowl would be just perfect for the summer. And no, I don't do any of the activities that require stitching a certain number of designs. I love seeing what other people do but that would not be for old "stitch one thing at a time" me. As a wonderful hobby, I think we all have to discover what kind of stitching works best for each of us. I hope you continue to have a great Spring!!
My dear friend,
oh how I love this new finish of yours! The colours, the different stitches ... the bee!
So gourgeous!!
At the moment I am very very busy with all the gardening, so I am not stitching at all. And therefore I am also buying no charts or stitching stuff at the moment. But I am also one of those, that bought to much for stash through the years ;-)
The new charts you bought are so amazing. Especially the BBD-Book. I do not have the book, but I owe some of the charts. I am very curious though with witch one you will start. And maybe, this will be the motivation hit I need to start off a new project.
However. I am wishing you a wonderful rest of Spring and sunny and warm weather, dear Carol. Enjoy those energizing days.
Hugs
Hilda
Hi Carol,
I'm glad spring is knocking on your door.
First thing first:
You are not a slow stitcher. You just have a busy life. If you wanna feel good about yourself, look at my finishes tab. I have taken 2 years to complete projects which others will complete in 2 months. But I'm not bothered about the speed, unless the deadline to gift is near.
Secondly, I'm not participating in Stitch Maynia. I don't think I ever will. I love finishes more than Starts :)
Third, yes I'm in shock of the amount of stash people buy. One of the earliest floss tube video I watched was the one where the lady said her stash bill was in 4 figures and she has been hiding that from husband. All her credit cards crossed the limits and she had panicked what would have happen next. She was trying to sell her stash now but it didn't stop her from buying a chart here and there.
That's outrageous to me. I can never lie or hide to my partner because of a hobby.
I buy stuff once or twice a year , may be because I don't have the means to buy other than money . My husband sometimes tell me that I practice too much self control for my hobbies.
Sorry for the long comment. Your finishes are beautiful.
And one day you will have to dig a chart to giveaway which I would like to win...ha ha I mean something I can stitch for my friends.
Hi Carol,
I have sent you an email with a question regarding something you have stitched. You may not have seen the email (it may have gone into your junk email?)
Anyways, I was hoping you would check it. I just found your blog. Beautiful! All your work is gorgeous. Love everything you stitch!
Have a beautiful day,
Louise
Your stitching is always so lovely. The brick on the house looks just awesome. Being Southern, I have to admit, I adore the floss named Collards, I also have one named Grits. :) I can't wait to see what you stitch up next. I am with you on the enjoyment of the motion of stitching. Wishing you a day filled with much joy.
I love the bee stitches. The bird bell pull is beautiful as well. It would be fun to stitch. Wendy
Carol, your posts are always such a treat. I love your idea for a bee basket! You could use those in between all the spring and summer holiday displays. The crow twins framing turned out perfect! I love the black (crow) frames! I don’t buy much stash, only a bit here and there and I’ll still never stitch everything I already have!
Hello Carol,
wonderful finishes. I like the combination form cross stitch and specialstitches.
The crows are very cute and the frames are perfect.
Your bought wonderful new charts.
Enjoy the Spring.
Best wishes, Manuela
The bricks on your little house are so perfect, it does look a nice place to live. A super finish.
Loving the cute bee pillow... I think a bee basket full of little smalls would be lovely.
No stitch maynia for me either, far too stressful.
Like you i don't buy much, I've got a cupboard full of things that need to be used up and many charts that i still really like.
xx
Your posts are always so much fun to read, Carol! Keep going with the bees and I think you and Stasi will have to compare bee designs. Love the satin stitches on that little beehive, and in your larger piece as well. I completely agree that added specialty stitches make a design interesting and more fun to stitch ... to the point that I look at a plain cross stitch piece these days and think, ooh, some smyrna stitches would look good here, and a bit of tent over one over there... LOL.
I love bees / beeskeps as a stitching motif! Carol - the frames for your crow duo absolutely rock - they are truly perfect.
I could never do stitch mania, it would drive me nuts also. I stitch what I want and when I want to. I did a bowl of bees and will be showing it in my next video. We didn't get much spring here either but we are now in the 80s. Crazy weather. I would like a chance to win the Teresa wintzler piece. Happy mother's day my sweet friend.🌻
LOVE the bees! I'll be starting a bee project in June/July and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm trying to finish up some other things in the meantime.
Speciality stitches can be so satisfying to stitch! I always seem to enjoy them. Except for queen stitches. Those I wouldn't call enjoyable but they're not hateful. LOL
Happy Mothers Day!
Old Rose and Chamomile is gorgeous! Love the house and the beautiful satin stitch on the grass. Lovely bee ornament too!
You did a wonderful work on framing the beautiful crow couple!
The BBD book is gorgeous, and it have some of old projects from others books. That big bird is your next project!! ;)
Old Rose and Chamomile is beautiful. Love the way you have created the brickwork. The bee ornament is a delight and wonderfully finished. I think a bee-themed bowl would be great.
Your finally finished framed pieces are just gorgeous. The frames are perfect.
Great stash enhancement. I have the BBD too. I have kitted up the cardinal piece but I did have that in another BBD book. I bought this 'Home for the Holidays' book for the 'Christmas Garden' piece.
I'm not doing Stitch Maynia. This year I have gone a bit crazy (LOL)working on 3 WIPs but I am enjoying picking up what I fancy. I don't think I could cope having to stitch to a regime.
You do live in a beautiful setting.
Have a good weekend.
I love the Ewe & Eye designs, and you chose such a pretty one to stitch! I have quite a few of their charts, but I'm lazy about the specialty stitches, so I don't think I've ever actually stitched any of their pieces. Your little bee pillow is so sweet! I recently bought the Ira Ray and Ida Mae charts - I'm not sure why I waited so long - your framed finishes of them are lovely and are really making me want to start them both. : ) And while I don't think I purchase a lot of stash, there are certain designers that I will buy all of their designs when they come out like Brenda Gervais and Blackbird Designs. I think I tend to look at my stash as a collection rather than wondering how in the world I'm ever going to stitch them all. : ) I do get a lot of pleasure in looking through my charts especially some of the older ones. And I always enjoy seeing someone else's new goodies - you got some lovely designs! Happy Mother's Day!
Part of me is glad this long slog of a winter is over but we seem to have skipped straight into summer and I do not like that at all! I'm not participating in Stitch Maynia as that many starts (or even that many WIPs) would drive me crazy and I'd wind up not working on anything. It's a great way to find new designers to admire though hah. I vote for the cardinal BBD!
I definitely don't purchase a lot of stash, at least not in the form of charts! I thrift a lot of my supplies so I do have a healthy collection of regular fabric and floss. There are plenty of great freebie charts out there and I seem to find comfort in just making my own if I can't find one to suit me. I would feel ashamed if I had to hide the amount I spend on a hobby!
Your home is looking so lovely~ :D
Love your bees and adorable crows! Your flowering trees are amazing!
The crabapple blooms are so pretty!
Lovely bee finishes! They fit very well with the nice spring weather lately. I don't think I've stitched bees before, though.
Carol, I do not think that you are a slow stitcher at all! Every time you post you have some new piece of gorgeousness to show us. And your finishing - magnificent! I love the changes you made to your pink house.
Love your Ewe & Eye and Friends finish! I love their charts as well! Good for you for framing the Crow family too! I need to learn to do that, but I'm not sure I ever will. I think a collection of bee themed pieces will be fun!
Beautiful work and photos Carol. I love Old Rose and Camomile and the different speciality stitches which make a pattern so interesting. Great framing on Ida Mae and Ira Ray and gorgeous finish on the tiny beehive - that button is just perfect, as is the splendid cloth on which it is displayed. I buy very little stash and for the last couple of years have been trying to use up what I have as one gets tired of seeing the same fabrics year after year.
Beautiful giveaway pattern Carol which I would be delighted to take off your hands :-))
What a lovely post, a beautiful feast for the eyes. Your home look fabulous.
That bee stung has brought much love(wink) gorgeous finishes and that bee pillow is too cute.
The frame look perfect. Haven't been stashing lately, enjoy yours, you made some lovely choices both in stashing and for your next WIP.I think which ever piece you decide to stitch will be fabulous. Happy stitching
I am new to your blog! So happy to find it and loved seeing your pink house and bee, including the sweet bee hive! EEK - so adorable! I loved bee and bird themed stitching. Good purchase w/ the BBD book - Love the cardinal pattern! Thank you for sharing and for the inspiration!
Beautiful finishes, Carol! Love the tiny finish:) Looking forward to see your stitching from the new charts. I don't follow facebook or instagram, that means I have saved some time and money there :D
I don't have too many WIPs either. The ones that I was working on were quite big and I needed a break so I started some new projects this year and I am happy that I could complete a few of those.
Your giveaway chart is beautiful but I have many things in progress so I will be happy to see it go to someone who really deserves it.
There is a lot of new eye candy in this post, Carol. I love that little new pillow that you stitched and finished. Ewe & Eye & Friends have some wonderful charts and I particularly love their houses - like the one you stitched. They belong to those very original designers whose designs you can always recognize. Their flowers are always charted uniquely.
I didn't know that you also have great framing skills. I love what you made with Mr and Mrs Crow.
Your new patterns are wonderful and I can see why it's difficult to decide which one to stitch first.
Nowadays I rarely ever buy new stash, particularly no more charts as I already have so many. Most of them are old and there is rarely ever a chart by a newer designer. But oldies are mostly also goodies, aren't they? The only thing that I sometimes buy are DMCs when I run out of some colours.
I don't ever join Stitch Maynia either. Having all those projects started would be so overwhelming. I'll just enjoy my 4 or 5 projects and call it good. :)
Your bee sampler and pillow are so so cute!!
Congrats on framing Ida Mae and Ira Ray. They look really good.
Nice stashing! I've been trying not to purchase much stash since, like you, I have way more than I'll ever stitch... fabric, threads, charts, buttons, ribbons. You name it, I probably have it. On the up side, though, it's like I have my own little LNS and I can pretty much kit up anything in my stash.
Those crab apple blooms are so pretty. My parents had crab apple trees that lined their property next to the road. My Dad would call me and tell me to bring my camera. Funny how you take those things for granted until they're gone.
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