October is definitely here as evidenced by the much cooler temperatures and the rainier days this past week. I've been a bit laid up with a cold so staying inside and nesting was perfect for me, though. My whole family visited last weekend and I'm sure I caught one of their colds. But, it was worth it--it's always fun to spend precious time with my sweet grandson. It's been a week since I got sick now and I'm almost feeling "normal" again. I just seem to get more tired after doing chores like laundry or cleaning. Anyway... I have nothing to complain about in light of all the horrific things going on in the world. It's all just so very sad...
I have a very cute fall finish to share with you today... As soon as I saw this chart, I ran to Etsy downloaded it, printed it off, and began stitching! This is called "Pumpkins" and is from a Polish designer. You can find the chart right here in her "Cross With Me" Etsy shop if you are interested. I used the suggested colors and stitched it on 40 ct. vintage country mocha Newcastle linen. I did have to outline the upper left pumpkin in a darker tan color as it just wasn't showing on the fabric.
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| Such a pretty fall piece |
I love the simple beauty of this piece and it will be nice to have it on display from September through November, don't you think? I had a barnwood-look frame in my stash that my daughter-in-law had given me and it was just perfect. A very simple finish, but I love it! The trio of pumpkins shown on the sides came from a local pumpkin farm that we visited with my grandson last weekend. He loved the tiny pumpkins the most and picked out four of his own to take home with him. And while at the farm, he insisted on pulling the big wagon (complete with his four mini pumpkins) all by himself. I wish I'd taken a photo of him, but I bet you can picture it! I'm sure his mom and dad will be buying a bigger pumpkin to carve for Halloween in a couple weeks, too. He is so excited and already has his costume--he's going trick-or-treating as "Chase" one of the Paw Patrol pups that are so popular with toddlers.
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| My finish of "Pumpkins" from the Cross With Me Etsy shop |
I am not a fan of the evening darkness that is creeping in, and I know it will get much worse when we change the clocks on November 5th... But, we've been having dinner by candlelight each evening to combat the darkness. I put together this cozy looking display for our kitchen table. (I already shared this photo on Instagram and one of the comments was that it "looks like autumn on a tray!" I love that!). The front piece of stitching is from an old Just Cross Stitch magazine (I'm not sure of the exact date, but think it was in 2006 or so). I stitched it "over one" on 28 ct. black Monaco way back in 2015. You can read more about my finish in this post. And the "Season of Plenty" piece in the back is by Little House Needleworks and was stitched way back in 2009--the year I began my blog! Have any of you been with me since that first year? It seems like such a long time ago... If you'd like to read about that LHN finish, check out this post. How about you, do you light candles for dinnertime in these darker months? What's in the center of your dining table?
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| Love having dinner by candlelight in the fall and winter |
Giveaway time... Today's offering is perfect for all of you cat lovers out there! Or for those of you who enjoy monthly designs. It is from an old Leisure Arts magazine (I'm sorry, I do not know which issue) and is called "Purr-fect" Holiday Wreath. A cute kitty is featured in twelve small monthly designs that you can make into little pillows or simply frame and change out the piece each month. Would any of you like to enter this giveaway? If so, please follow the guidelines below and I'll announce the winner in my next post. (Please note: The three pages are torn from a magazine and will be folded and mailed in a legal sized envelope to save money).
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| I'm having a giveaway for this chart of 12 monthly cat designs |
To be included in the drawing for the monthly kitty charts shown above, please...
1) Specifically mention that you would like to win it in your comment
2) Be a follower of Stitching Dreams (in my blog's sidebar on the right)
3)
Make
sure to leave your email address in your comment if I don't already have it
4)
Answer the "Getting to Know You" question below.
Getting to Know You... Since Halloween is nearing and that usually means spooky and scary stuff, today's question is: "What is one of the scariest things you have ever done or experienced?" For me, that's an easy one... It was the hike in the jungle that my family did when we visited Panama in 2018. Honestly, I thought we were going to die--I still get anxious just thinking about that trek. Looking back on the photos in the piece I posted about that horrible experience brings back all sorts of feelings--none of them good! If you are new to my blog and would like to read about my "hike from hell," check out this post. Now it's your turn--what is the scariest thing you have done or experienced? I'd love to get to know you better!
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I have some welcome news for our stitching community, too. Do you all remember the pretty patriotic finish I shared back in August called "Land of the Free?" Well, the designer of the chart, Willow Hill Samplings, has reopened her Etsy shop--you can find that chart again right here. Go check it out--there are so many cute designs available!
Blog commenting problems... and a possible solution? Recently I've had trouble commenting on certain blogs. Not all, maybe three or four of the ones listed in my sidebar. Interestingly, I've discovered that I have no trouble at all if I use a different browser. I normally use Firefox, but, for some reason, it refuses to let me comment on those few blogs. I've had others tell me that they've had trouble commenting on my blog as well. So, give another browser a try--I used Chrome the other day and had no trouble at all leaving a comment on those certain blogs!
It's SUCH a gloomy day here so I think I'll just post this and go sit and stitch the rest of the day away. Hope your second half of October is going well so far. Honestly, this year is just speeding by way too quickly for me! Thank you, each and every one, for visiting me today and for your kind comments and emails. I appreciate them ever so much! Bye for now...
