One bunny, two sheep, and something new

Good morning all! Hard to believe March is nearly half over... It's been a good month for me so far and it's about to get better as I'll have my oldest and youngest sons home for a few days this weekend. That is so very rare these days now that one lives in San Diego and the other in Washington,DC... I can't wait! 

My stitching, as usual, involves seasonal pieces and, just in time for Easter, I have this sweet Blackbird Designs finish called "Easter Parade" to share with you. I honestly can't remember when I enjoyed stitching a piece so much--the overdyed colors, the eyelet stitches on the bunny and one of the stars, the purple checkerboard border. The whole piece just came together so well... (I want to thank a very special blogging friend for lending me her chart--it will be flying home to you very soon!).

"Easter Parade"

I stitched the bunny holding his egg-filled Easter basket on 40 ct. antique white Newcastle with the suggested overdyed threads except I substituted Gentle Arts "Sweet Pea" for the border. He would have been a bit large for one of my little pillows so I mounted him on some purple and white polka dot fabric, surrounded him with ecru pompom trim and glued some felt on the back.

Loved everything about this one!

To attach him to the chicken wire frame, I glued two d-ring picture hangers on the back and then simply wired those to the chicken wire with regular old twist-ties. So easy! In the corner, I added a polka-dot yo-yo topped with a couple of buttons and glued it onto some berries and vine trim that I found at a local craft store. A gauzy pink ribbon was then intertwined with the vines.

"Easter Parade" all finished up

Here is a close-up of the yo-yo embellishment... I was so pleased with how the berries complemented the pompom trim and resembled the stitched berries in the rabbit's pack! What do you think? It was nice to have a "bigger finish" for a change although my first love will always be making ornaments and small pillows.

I am on a yo-yo kick this year!

My Christmas ornament for March is the exceedingly popular "Little Red Barn" by Little House Needleworks. It seems that virtually everyone is stitching this on Instagram! I won't be stitching the entire series, but will pick and choose throughout the year.  I forgot to take a "before" photo, but this is how I finished it up--black gingham, red twisted cording, another yo-yo and some black felt glued to the back. The fabric was 35 ct. natural Northern Cross from my stash and, unfortunately, I used two strands of floss and it about drove me crazy--it was just too tight! But, I love the final look and I'm pleased to be doing a better job at keeping up with my monthly ornament stitching this year.

"Little Red Barn" finish

This design called to me because I grew up with a barn right behind my house. No, I didn't live in the country or on a farm. I grew up in a very small town in western New York, but in a house built in the early 1900s before cars were common. So, this pretty white barn once held horses and buggies! By the time my family moved in, in the early 1960s, the horses were long-gone and the lower floor of the barn held our cars, dad's tools, the lawnmower, etc.

But, it was the upper floor where all the magic happened... long afternoons spent playing the "Wizard of Oz" with the neighborhood kids (I always insisted on being the witch!), shooting hoops with my brother and his friends, and when we were older, building floats for the Homecoming parades each fall. So many wonderful memories... I took this photo from my upstairs bedroom on the last day of the estate sale we had after my parents sold our home in 2012. I can't help but look at it with tears in my eyes--that was the last time I slept in my childhood home.

If those walls could talk--wonderful memories were made in our old barn!

Here is a close-up of the wonderful cupola and the tilted weather vane that had turned in the wind for so many years. My mother always said it was that beautiful barn that sold her and dad on purchasing the fixer-upper of a house in 1960. I can see why...

Loved this old cupola and galloping horse!

In December, when my middle son and I drove home from visiting my mom, we took a detour and drove down through my old hometown. The new owners had painted the barn doors black and were obviously taking very good care of my old home. It warmed my heart to see the old homestead was being loved and cared for so well... And that same tilted horse was still galloping away in the wind on the tip-top of our old white barn. 

The new owners are maintaining our old barn so nicely!

Okay--enough of my walk down memory lane! Do you remember my last post about the extensive cleaning that has been taking place around my house--the "Swedish Death Cleaning?" Well, I've been finding more goodies! Look what I found all rolled up in the back of a drawer... this beauty called "No Vacancy" by Marjolein Bastin that I stitched way back in 2005... I'd forgotten all about the poor thing! I'm sure I used the suggested DMC colors because I was too afraid to change colors back then--I've come a long way! I also used evenweave which I rarely use any more except for "over one" stitching or smaller pillows/ornaments. Pardon the wrinkles--I just unrolled it to photograph it for this post. I really would like to get this framed, but I am not sure about the "No Vacancy" words and am trying to think of something different, or perhaps just stitching one or two of the motifs in place of the words. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Any suggestions for replacing the words "No Vacancy?"

Baking has been taking up more of my free hours and I've been experimenting with the new bread machine we got for Christmas. So far I've made a Seven Grain Bread, homemade hamburger buns, Buttermilk-Oatmeal Bread, and this very tasty Sunflower and Grains Bread. Yum!! I am being really good and limiting myself to one piece a day--my husband, on the other hand, is having a hard time stopping at one piece (or two or even three or four!).

A freshly baked loaf of sunflower and grains bread

And for my son's girlfriend's birthday, I made the cutest little carrot cakes in a baby Bundt pan. My mother-in-law gave me this six-cake pan probably 30 years ago and I had never used it! So happy that it didn't become a victim of my purging rampage as it made the sweetest cakes.

Baby bundt cakes!

A pink-tinted cream cheese and maple syrup glaze topped them off quite nicely. (The two with toothpicks had no nuts in them since my son's girlfriend doesn't eat them). Next time, I will make the glaze a bit thinner.

Happy Birthday carrot cakes with pink tinted frosting

I've also been moving out the snowmen and moving in the spring decorations (even though it is still snowing off and on here in western Pennsylvania!). My pink bunnies have really cozied up the bottom shelf of my corner cupboard. I have to admit the color pink is starting to grow on me :)

Pretty in pink bunnies

And the five St. Patrick's Day smalls that I made back in 2012 are back for March. I feel bad that I haven't added to my green collection, but there's always next year! I don't have an ounce of Irish blood, but I do enjoy the little leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, and luck-themed pillow on display to break up this long, often unpredictable, month of March.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Now for my "something new" that I mentioned in my last post! I've begun dabbling in English paper piecing--I'm making hexies... What will I do with them? Well, I'm not sure. I don't think a quilt is in my future (but never say never!), however I can see myself using them for a smaller wall hanging, pincushion, project pouch, mug rug, or table runner. I've made them in three different sizes and, you know me--I'm extremely drawn to the smallest ones. Below you can see the 1 1/2 inch hexies, the 3/4 inch hexies, and my favorites, the teeny pink 1/2 inch hexies. I haven't gotten brave enough to stitch each piece of the flower together, but I hope that I'll have that done by my next post! I love making them and am using the glue-basting method which seems quick and easy. We'll see if I have trouble getting the papers out when the time comes! If any of you experts in hexie making have any suggestions, I welcome them!

Hexie happiness!

Oh, my--that was a long post! I hope some of you are still with me... Thank you, as always, for the wonderful comments and emails! I truly appreciate each and every one. And if you have any questions for me, please make sure to include your email address so I can respond to you. Enjoy your week, my stitching friends! Bye for now...

Life's Hiccups...

Good morning, my stitching friends! Has it really been six weeks since I last posted? Such a lot has happened since then that I hardly know where to begin... But, since this is primarily a stitching blog, I guess I'll begin with the good stuff--the stitching! In spite of my crazy month in August, I was able to get a bit of stitching done--primarily for family and friends, but I also managed to finish my ornament for the month. 

My dear friend in Northern Ireland, Lois (Of Needles, Pins, & Stitching Things blog ), celebrated her birthday in mid-August. To help make her day even more special, I decided to stitch something  for her so I created this little pillow from a chart by Merrily Beams called "Trifles." I just love everything about this design from the checkerboard roof to the two friends all dressed in blue. I added our first initials so when she sees it she'll always remember our friendship.

Merrily Beams design: "Trifles"

I stitched Lois's gift on 32 ct. antique ivory Belfast linen with a variety of overdyed and DMC threads--I just chose the colors randomly based on whatever I thought looked nice together.  I gave the two friends different colored hair--Lois has the lighter shade and me the darker brown--just like in real life. To finish it off, I backed it with this wonderful blue alphabet sampler fabric and added some handmade blue cording. I was so happy that Lois liked my little gift and I hope the joy she felt on her birthday continues throughout the coming year!

Finished "Trifles" pillow for Lois

My next finish was a gift for my youngest sister who celebrated a very special birthday this month--she turned 50! Ah, to be 50 again--when you're only a year and a few months away from 60, 50 sounds very, very young, indeed!! She recently spent a wonderful few weeks in France with her husband and sons so I thought this Blackbird Designs freebie would be perfect for her. "Souvenir de France" is stitched on 40 ct. pearl gray Newcastle linen with WDW's thread in Gunmetal.

BBD's Souvenir de France freebie

I added her initials in the upper left and moved the motifs underneath so that they were more symmetrical than shown in the original chart. To finish up the pillow, I backed it with the black and white fabric shown and edged it with a ruched gauzy black ribbon. And the smell--perfect for a souvenir of France--I filled it with a combination of dried lavender and ground walnut shells. I hope she enjoys it and will think of her delightful French sojourn (and her big sister) each time she sees it!

Birthday pillow for my sister

My final bit of stitching is a bit of much-needed "comfort stitching" which I stitched at the beach last month. It features two of my favorite things--sunflowers and Prairie Schooler Santas! This PS 1994 Santa is stitched "over one" on 27 ct. clay Linda cloth with the suggested DMC threads. Isn't he jolly with his parcel of sunflowers and those hitchhiking blackbirds? A perfect piece to stitch at the end of summer...

Prairie Schooler 1994 Santa

The finish is quite simple--just some handmade cording in DMC 729 and a backing made of the burgundy checked fabric shown on the right. I always believe that when there is a lot going on in a piece like there is in this one, it is better to keep things simple in your final finish. I was so pleased when my young 24-year-old nephew, who was visiting for the weekend, told me how professional it looked! He has an art background so the compliment meant even more...

 Finished 1994 Prairie Schooler Santa

THANKS TO... my friend, Vickie (at A Stitcher's Story blog), who sent me a sweet prize package for guessing the color of her purse in a contest she had a while ago. I knew Vickie loved pink so I took it a step further and guessed that her purse was fuschia. I was right! Now, the most unusual gift I've ever received in my mailbox arrived in the form of bulbs--yes, you read that right--two iris bulbs! I have to admit, I just about screamed with fright when I first felt the damp newspaper that they were wrapped in. But, upon seeing the bulbs I knew right away they were two of Vickie's brown iris bulbs that she says smell just like chocolate. I had my husband plant them while I was in the hospital (more about that below) and I can hardly wait until next spring to sniff them myself. She also included another first--her first ever needle threader made into the shape of a little angel. I know I'll be putting this to good use, Vickie, as the older I get, the harder it is to thread my needle. I think she did a great job on it and I'm sure she'll be making more of them for friends in the future. Thank you so much, Vickie--little did you know how much I would need an angel on my shoulder watching over me on that very day I received your gifts...

Gifts from Vickie

Life's Hiccups... Are you wondering about the title of today's blog post? Well, we've all had them, right...those little bumps in the road, those curve balls that you didn't see coming and just turn your life upside down for a bit? A month ago today I experienced one of the bigger hiccups in my life when I ended up in the hospital for five days with something I had never even heard of...

My day had progressed in a perfectly ordinary manner--getting my hair cut, doing the grocery shopping, reading, and finally settling down for a quiet evening of stitching since my husband was at a dinner with his former co-workers. Ahh...there is nothing like a bit of stitching to totally relax you, is there? But, that night something went horribly wrong...WHAM! I was instantly hit with nearly unbearable pains in my lower belly which in turn led to vomiting and diarrhea. After a couple hours of this, I was just about ready to call my husband and ask him to come home when he walked in the door. Seeing me in the pain I was in, he suggested we leave for the hospital right then, but I kept thinking it was "just something I ate" so I convinced him to go to bed. Feeling a bit better myself, I retired to bed, only to be awoken at 2:00 in the morning with severe bloody diarrhea (which continued for the next 48 hours--ugh!!). Of course, we immediately rushed to the hospital's emergency room. 

 My "home away from home" for five days

After a plethora of tests (EKG, CT scan, colonoscopy, ultrasound) I was diagnosed with a new to me condition: Ischemic Colitis. Have any of you ever heard of it? To put it simply, the doctor said it is almost like a stroke of the colon--the blood supply is cut off or greatly diminished which causes the symptoms I described above. I don't actually fit into any of the groups of people who normally have an attack of ischemic colits: cocaine users (nope!), long-distance runners (nope!), and people who use a lot of NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (nope!). So, what did cause it in my case? Possibly a blood clot which can be a side effect of the medicine I was taking for my osteoporosis, but the doctors couldn't say for sure. Needless to say, I'm no longer taking that particular medication. The idea of a blood clot is so very scary and I'm incredibly grateful it didn't end up traveling to my heart, brain, or lungs. Thankfully, the doctors think this was a one-time attack; it is not a chronic condition or something I, hopefully, will ever have to deal with again...

Five days later, I was released from the hospital, tired and weak, but just so happy to be going home! No more IV lines with fluids and antibiotics flowing into my veins non-stop, no more noisy hospital surroundings, no more bland liquid diet. But, I brought home a certain sense of vulnerability which I have never felt before. I feel like my body really let me down--I work so hard to eat right and exercise, but, obviously that is no guarantee of good health, is it? I am, to be honest with you, struggling a bit to return to "normal." I'll get there--it's just taking longer than I thought it would to get my energy back and to feel like the old me...

 Flowers from my sons 

brightened up my hospital room!

I am so grateful to all of you who wondered where I was and who sent emails and get well cards my way. What a wonderfully supportive blogging/stitching community we have here!! I feel very blessed to be part of it--thank you all so very much for your kind words and support. And to my dear husband and three wonderful sons--I know how scared you all were when I was in the hospital. "Mom" never gets sick, right? I mean I hadn't called off sick from work in 15 years! But, the flowers you sent and your love and encouragement sure made my hospital stay a bit easier. I love you guys so very much...

BEACH TIME... Three days after I was released from the hospital, we traveled to North Carolina's Outer Banks for our annual reunion with my husband's family. There were 21 of us in this giant house in Corolla called "Poseidon." This is the 29th year we have traveled down to the beach for our family get together and I think this was the nicest house ever! With 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms there was plenty of room for all. I simply sat most of the week under a tent on the beach and snoozed and read. I highly recommend two of the books--both really make you think about what you would do if faced with the situations encountered by the books' characters. "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes and "The Husband's Secret" by Liane Moriarty are both well worth reading!

Our 2013 beach house rental

Can you imagine a better medicine

than relaxing on this beautiful beach?

Do you see the rainbow? 

A gorgeous sunset on our first night...

Even on a cloudy day, the beaches have a certain beauty.

These little crabs were so entertaining. My 9-year-old 

triplet nieces loved feeding them "goldfish crackers."

Two days after we returned home, my middle son had surgery and moved home for a while so we could help him recuperate. And four days after that I drove up to my parents in New York to celebrate my youngest sister's birthday over Labor Day weekend. Whew... I am so glad to finally just relax at home again and to resume my normal routine of work, etc. You all know me--I love a simple life and things just got a bit too crazy in August! Hopefully, things will calm down and I have to say, I'm honestly looking forward to the cozy, quiet days of winter that lie ahead.

I'm so very far behind on blog reading and commenting--just had neither the energy nor the time last month, but I promise, I'll be visiting your blogs very soon. I miss all of you and miss seeing the inspirational creations that you tempt me with each time I stop by... Again, thank you all for your caring words during my illness--they helped more than you can imagine. Thanks for stopping by today--I'll really do my best not to be away so long again! Bye for now...

Finally, some framing...

Two posts in less than a week--I must be sick, right? And it seems to be another long one, so bear with me! Finally, I've managed to do a bit of framing. This poor Blackbird Designs piece called "Something Sweet" has been languishing in my finishes drawer for almost a year now! With my dear mother's 84th birthday fast-approaching, I just knew now was the time to frame it and send it off to her. I'm really thrilled with the frame I chose and she was equally thrilled with her gift when she opened it on her birthday on May 14th (If you would like to wish her a "Happy Birthday," she reads my blog and I know she would be tickled to get some birthday wishes!). I am so proud of my mom--she's been through a lot over the past year and I'm in awe of how well she has handled everything. I love you dearly mom!


I also framed another 2010 finish, Prairie Schoolers' Spring from Book No. 50: "Prairie Seasons". This one went into a frame that I'll use when I stitch the other three seasons, as well. (Well, I've done autumn already--just need to mount that and I'll be half-done). I just mount them and pop them in and out with the change of seasons. What do you think of the frame? I really like the darker rope-like detail on the inner edge. In the foreground of the photo are some yellow roses (my favorites!) that I dried from the bouquet my husband got me for Valentine's Day. I think they're so pretty and put a half-dozen in a white vase on my kitchen counter. My sons don't share my opinion and always comment about why I still have "those dead weeds" on display!



And, that's not the end of my framing; as you can see, I have lots of work ahead of me! I've had several people ask where I get my frames from over the two years that I've been blogging, and just in case any of the rest of you would like to know, here is the link. Franken Frames runs great specials (I got this particular group of frames (plus the one for "Something Sweet:) for just over $100. They were running a free shipping special and I just couldn't turn that down!

Even better, they offer up to 20 free samples of their frames--I just love playing with the little pieces of wood and holding them up against my stitching to try to find the perfect match right in the comfort of my own home. Here are some of the samples I've ordered in the past... It sure saves a ton of money to frame the smaller things yourself. I would never attempt a giant piece like my Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow, but for medium sized finishes the do-it-yourself price can't be beat!







I'm sure you've all heard the old saying "Kindness begets kindness evermore" (by Sophocles--no, I didn't know that offhand--had to look it up!!). Well, last week something happened which perfectly illustrated this old adage. I happened to see a post by Gabi at Lady of the Floss mentioning a certain out-of-print chart she was craving so I emailed her and offered to let her borrow mine. I know what it feels like to really want to stitch something but be unwilling to spend the big bucks that it is selling for on Ebay. I really didn't know Gabi and I don't think she was a follower of my blog then either, but I just wanted to help a fellow stitcher. Gabi was so thrilled that she offered to send me something on my wishlist. Well, I told her that I really didn't have a wishlist and that the only chart I'd been searching for, for ages and with no luck, was "Betsy" by Sheepish Designs. Well, what do you think dear Gabi did--she located the chart and generously sent it to me. I was so touched--I honestly wasn't looking for any sort of reward for letting her borrow my chart, but I welcomed her gift with open arms. "Betsy" arrived looking even cuter in person and I'm planning on stitching her this summer--thinking of Gabi with each stitch. So, thank you, my new stitching friend--you have no idea how much your kindness meant to me....



I've decided to begin sending little random acts of kindness to my blogging friends and special commenters and first up is this little pin pillow (along with a couple of other goodies) which is on it's way to a new home. I hope the recipient likes it! When I saw the freebie tulip pattern at The Floss Box, I knew it would be a perfect way to use up more of that pretty blue tulip fabric I bought last month. So, I stitched it up, over one on 28 ct. white jobelan, and made it into another tiny pillow... The Floss Box has many darling free charts and some wonderful inexpensive designs for sale, as well--check it out!



Due to the great Blogger debacle of last week, I lost 20 comments from May 12th so I have to extend the drawing for the Sunflower Bellpull chart (I have no idea if anyone who commented on that date put their name in for the drawing or not). You can see my finish here and all I ask is that after you've stitched it you pass on the kindness by giving it to another stitcher. So, if you're interested leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a name on May 31st...





I'll be taking a bit of a blogging break for a couple of weeks so please don't worry if I'm not commenting on your blogs. In the mean time, I'll be working on my new start--anyone have an idea as to what it is? I'll keep you in suspense until my next post, but here's a hint--it involves two of my favorite things :)

Thank you for visiting today, a warm welcome to my new followers, and, as always, your comments are so very much appreciated. Have a great week everyone! Bye for now...

Stitching the Blues

Good morning everyone--and what an exciting morning it's been watching the events of the Royal Wedding. I got up before dawn to witness history taking place--I do love a good love story. I was glued to the television as I soaked in each and every detail. From the sweet dresses of the cherubic flower girls to the earnest-looking choirboys to the fresh green trees adorning the aisles of Westminster Abbey; I almost felt as if I was right there myself. Just delightful... And I loved the idea of millions of people from all over the world watching the same event at the same time. I'll have to admit, I got a bit teary-eyed--I always do at weddings. It is such a time of hope...

Anyway, back to my "blue" stitching. I am, and always have been, a lover of all things blue. It doesn't matter the shade of blue--baby blue, periwinkle blue, turquoise blue--I love them all. (It's a good thing I had three sons, isn't it?) And when you combine blue with bunnies--well, that's just about perfect! Now, I've never seen a blue tulip, but, hey, I can dream, right?


As soon as I saw this tulip fabric in the store, I knew what the perfect piece to stitch for it would be: this sweet Tulip Time freebie from Primitive Betty's site. I usually work the opposite way and pick a fabric to complement a piece I've already stitched, but this was a fun change. You'll notice that I changed the location of the words and two of the bunnies--my brain seems to crave symmetry! I wish I was one of those people who could deal with uneven displays on fireplace mantles and that sort of thing, but I like everything well-balanced. Since I wanted to make a tiny pillow out of it, I stitched "Tulip Time" over one on 28 ct. summer khaki Lugana using DMC colors that matched the shades in the fabric. My tulips even cooperated for the photo-shoot as they beautifully bloomed just this week...


I know many of you have already stitched Blackbird Designs' Bluebird pincushion and I finally succumbed to its charms myself. For this piece, I used Nina's Hand Dyed Threads in "Old Jeans" color and stitched it on 32 ct. Belfast Dirty Linen. I just love Nina's threads--they work up so beautifully. I chose to leave out my initial in the upper right corner and will stick some pretty pins in that space instead.


For this finish, I decided to make a long pillow with some coordinating fabric. When I showed my husband after he got home from work the other night, he jokingly asked, "Is that to rest one ear on or what?" Hmmm... I told him it was just decorative and more of a pincushion--not sure if he really understands this whole cross stitch world or not. That is why I've been so happy to discover the wonderfully supportive blogging/cross stitching community--you all really "get" it...


Someone else must have heard it was "blue week" here, too, because just look at what made an appearance at my pond--a great blue heron! I was thrilled to look out my kitchen window yesterday afternoon and see him just standing there like a statue. Wish I could have gotten closer for a better photo (you can click on the picture for a clearer glimpse of him), but, oh my, what a regal looking bird. They only visit two or three times during the year--probably passing by and looking for a quick snack of one of the minnows in our pond. I don't live in the country; I live in the suburbs of a rather large city, so it always thrills me to see this kind of wildlife in my very own yard.


I nearly squealed with delight when I opened this surprise gift from my dear friend Lois at "Of Needles, Pins & Stitching Things". Oh, all right, I admit it--I really did squeal with delight when I saw this sweet bunny scissor fob. Isn't he the cutest rabbit? I was so touched by Lois's kind and generous gift--from the fob to the pretty yellow fabrics to the yummy Lindt chocolate chicks. The little bunny is sitting right here above my desk where he makes me smile ever time I glance up at him. Everything was just perfect and much appreciated. I treasure our friendship, Lois, and thank you again so much for your thoughtful gifts. Your emails always brighten my day and I hope we are still friends when we are old and gray.


We had a lovely Easter brunch here on Sunday for my brother and his family. There were 11 of us including an exchange student from abroad whom they have living with them for the year. When I asked her if she was anxious to head back home at the end of June, she exclaimed in a decidedly American fashion, "No way!" It's so nice to hear from others that they've enjoyed life in the U.S. and to see our country through their eyes. Too often, we take too much for granted living here--I know I do anyway...

My thoughts are with all of those affected by the devastating tornadoes in the south. It surely has been one of the worst years for weather-related disasters I can recall. And, unfortunately, the year isn't even half over yet...

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and for your kind comments. I truly appreciate the time that you take in saying hello each time I post. And a warm welcome to my new followers, too--I hope to visit you at your blogs very soon. Enjoy your weekend everyone! Bye for now...

Tiny finishes and big thanks

Hello all--hope you've had a great week!I had the urge to do some tiny stitching this week to offset my huge Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow piece. For my June ornament, I stitched the bottom quarter of the "O Christmas Tree" sampler from the Prairie Schooler Christmas Samplers chart (No. 63). I ended up stitching it over one to make it a better size for a Christmas ornament (and because I am an admitted "over one" addict!).









For this ornament, I used 28 ct. taupe cashel linen and DMC threads. I did end up substituting a couple of the colors--changed the cardinals to a brighter red (DMC 816) so they would more resemble the ones we see here in Pennsylvania in the winter and I changed the middle color on the trees to DMC 3363 because the charted color didn't offer enough contrast. Then I backed it with the fabric shown, topped it off with some sage green cording, attached a little bow and--voila! I'm very pleased with the final product...



My second tiny finish is from the Homespun Elegance "Miniature Samplers VI" chart. I changed many of the recommended overdyeds threads to similar colors I already owned. And because I stitched this little (it is just 1 1/4 inches x 1 3/4 inches) design "over one," too, there was no way the charted wording ("America the Beautiful") could be stitched and still be readable so I substituted it with some fireworks and added a little sheep.


Now, I am no artist--believe me, I can barely draw a stick figure, so if these don't look exactly like fireworks, try to use your imagination. (Now that I look at them, they resemble red and blue spiders!). I think that is one reason why I like cross stitching so much--because I feel artistic even though I'm not. I love the way the design appears on an empty piece of fabric almost like a painting. I stitched this tiny pin pillow on 26 ct. natural brown linen, filled it with crushed walnut shells, and added a bit of white ribbon and a red star button for accents. What do you think?




Stitchers are the nicest people and I recently received some wonderful things in the mail... Mary (no blog yet--but she's working on it!) and I became email friends when she sent me the sweetest note saying how much she enjoyed my blog. We hope to meet in person at some point because her son will be attending a nearby college in the fall. I was just so touched to receive this wonderful package of goodies from her. It contained all of my favorite designers: Prairie Schooler, Blackbird Designs, and Country Cottage Needleworks along with some floss. Most special of all, though, was the fact that Mary had read through my blog and discovered my love for black cats, especially my dear cat, Shadow, and she had picked out a special Permin kit featuring a little black cat waiting by a door. It brought tears to my eyes when I opened it... Thank you so, so much, Mary--I love everything and you are a wonderful new friend!



And from one of my very first blogging friends, Sue, I received this lovely La-D-Da Quaker Alphabet chart. Sue recently finished and framed this herself and kindly offered me the chart when she was done. It was her first Quaker and since I had never stitched one either I think she knew it would go to a good home. You know me, though, I'll have to use my favorite blues when I do stitch it. Check out Sue's blog for her amazing finish! It is perfection...Thank you so much, my friend. I will definitely pass along the chart to some other "new Quaker stitcher" when I am done!" Your gift means so much to me :)

Do you have a favorite flower? Mine, by far, are hydrangeas--I just adore them and this year, our bushes are absolutely bursting with the biggest blue blooms. In fact, they've never looked this good in the ten years we've had them planted! I'm assuming that it is due to all of the rain we've had this spring. Almost makes all of this horrid humidity bearable--almost... I don't know about you, but the older I get, the more the humidity gets to me. At this point I'm almost ready to move to San Diego where, I've heard, they have the most perfect weather. Do any of you live where there is no humidity? I just may be coming for a visit :)

I really enjoyed seeing all of your comments on my last post in regard to my question about whether or not you share your blog with others. I was very surprised to read how many of you are like me in that we tell only fellow stitchers or immediate family members about the fact that we have a blog. I just assumed the reason I didn't share it with people was because my shyness was coming through, but maybe it is just that I want to have a little corner of the world reserved for myself and others, like all of you, who share my passion for cross stitching...

Thank you all so much for taking the time to comment and email me each week. I treasure hearing from each of you and promise to catch up on my emails this weekend! Wishing you a wonderful last week in June (can you believe the year 2010 is almost half over?)...