Another year older and sharing my final finishes of 2021

Oh, those old birthdays sure do come around quickly, don't they? I remember so badly wanting to be older when I was young--to do the "grown-up" things that all the big kids were allowed to do: ride my bike in the street, stay outside past dark playing with the neighborhood kids, walk to school by myself... But, now that I've reached my late 60's, I so wish time would slow down. I want more time to spend with my family, especially my grandson, more time to stitch every single chart in my stash and then some, more hours in the day to re-read favorite books and discover new ones. But, that's not how life works, is it? I turned 67 on Sunday and some days seem to pass in a blur. I begin each day with the best of intentions, but sometimes feel that I've accomplished nothing by the time my head hits the pillow at night. Does anyone else feel that way?

Well, enough of my philosophical ramblings on life and getting older! I actually do have some stitching to share with you today even though it is from 2021. I want to share the Christmas gifts that I made and sent out around the world to various stitching friends. As usual, I wish I could send many more gifts, but I'm only human and can only do so much! Anyway, I hope you will, perhaps, gain some inspiration from these finishes...

This charming Prairie Schooler piece is from Book No. 133 called "Winter Wind." It is only the top quarter of the design and one I've stitched before for myself (you can see my first finish in this post). This was stitched on 40 ct. pearl gray Newcastle with the suggested colors. This one is finished a bit differently as I actually forgot to attach the red beads (which represented the berries on each border), but, thankfully, the recipient liked it as is!

A portion of Prairie Schooler's "Winter Wind" stitched as an ornament

 

Next up, are two little round ornaments (have you noticed I seem to enjoy making round and oval ornaments more and more?) which went to two friends in Virginia. Again, this is a chart I've stitched before, although not "over one" like I did with these two. This is "French Country Snowflake" by JBW Designs. I used 25 ct. water sapphire Lugana and stitched them "over one" with white Anchor thread. I did omit the word "snowflake" that was charted. I think these designs are so clever with the miniature winter motifs featured inside! Can you spy the snowman, the skate, the reindeer, the sled, and the cottage? So creative!

Two JBW Designs "French Country Snowflake" ornaments

 

This Cricket Collection cardinal mitten is one that I haven't stitched before, but I love how it turned out. I used 40 ct. R&R salt marsh green linen with the suggested DMC colors for this finish. Beads were added for the cardinal's eyes and I turned it into a round ornament for my bird-loving friend.

The Cricket Collection cardinal mitten

 

The next ornament is one of my favorites as I love the Christmas greeting on it and, of course, that darling little bunny. This one can be found in the 2011 Just Cross Stitch Ornament magazine and is a design by The Sampler Girl. It is stitched "over one" on 28 ct. tea-dyed Monaco with most of the suggested colors. I did change the red to my go-to Christmas red: DMC 221. I'm happy to say the little bunny is residing, very happily, "across the pond" now!

"Good Tidings to You" by The Sampler Girl

 

In addition to the ornaments, I also made 5 cross-stitch cards. I enjoy receiving cross-stitched cards because, often, you can remove the stitching and make it into a new little ornament for your tree. I'm hoping that some of these cards will be turned into ornaments as well by the recipients. Cards are also a wonderful gift for international friends because the cost of shipping has really gotten out of hand, hasn't it? Believe it or not, the four cards shown below all came from the same chart! They are from "Winter's Song" by Plum Pudding Needleart--don't you love that cardinal? The card on the left is the full design stitched "over one" on 28 ct. Bay Leaf Jobelan. I actually stitched another as my August ornament last year (which you can read about here). And the three cards on the right are that same cardinal stitched "over two" on 28 ct. black Monaco.

Four stitched cards from "Winter's Song" by Plum Pudding Needleart

The final gift is simply another variation of the JBW Designs "French Country Snowflake" stitched "over one" on 28 ct. white Monaco. For the soft pink shade, I used Classic Colorworks "Sea Shelley." I don't stitch with pink very often, but I truly enjoyed it!

JBW Designs "French Country Snowflake" card

 

In other stitching news, I'm happy to report that a new piece has been hung after many, many years.  It took 8 long years to get this piece  on display! I began the With Thy Needle and Thread "Birds Of a Feather" sampler back in 2014, finished it in 2019 (if you want the details on the finish, just check here), and framed it last year. And finally, finally, I've hung it in my living room. Doesn't it look pretty against the backdrop of the blue walls? 

Framed "Birds Of a Feather" sampler by With Thy Needle and Thread

Here's a close-up of the frame... I sent this one to Total Framing in Virginia and the whole process was very easy (although I did have to wait nearly four months for it to come back to me). One of my goals for 2022 is to get more things framed and on my walls! We'll see how I do...

 

Other than stitching an ornament each month, I never have specific goals of what I want to stitch. But, this year, for some reason, Christmas stitching is calling to me. I don't mean ornaments, but larger Christmas pieces that I can frame. There are so many truly lovely Christmas designs out there and I honestly think I'm happiest when stitching anything Christmas related. So, I've ordered a few larger Christmas charts that (I hope) to share with you as I stitch them. This may be the year of "all Christmas, all year!" Just a warning :)

A birthday to remember... I was so surprised when my three sons told me they wanted to give me a family getaway weekend at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland for my birthday present this year. I mean, it wasn't even a milestone birthday! But, I think they just wanted to celebrate the fact that everyone is back on the East Coast and liven up the otherwise dull month of January (have I mentioned how much I dislike having a January birthday? Yes, I have--many, many times :)  Anyway, we arrived at our lovely rented lake home on Friday evening and prepared to settle in for what would be a nice cozy three-day weekend. We played games, went to a nature center, ate way too much food, snacked our way through the day, and were thoroughly entertained by "Mister B" who is just delighted at all the new words he can say. Below is my favorite photo of the weekend as my husband holds our little grandson looking out over Deep Creek Lake.

Little did we know that Mother Nature would interfere... The snow forecasts kept getting worse and worse so we pushed my birthday celebration up a day and ended up having to drive home on my actual birthday. We just couldn't risk traveling in the snow and ice with my grandson in the mix. My husband and I (and my middle son and his girlfriend) were heading north ahead of the storm so we made it home with no incident. My youngest and oldest son (and his family) were heading east, however, and it was an entirely different story for them. The youngest, who left later than the oldest, encountered roads so treacherous that he saw a big truck jack-knifed across the road right in front of him! Thank goodness, he hadn't left five minutes earlier... Things were so bad, he finally drove to his brother's house to relax and calm down for the evening before getting back on the road again. I'm sure some of you have never driven on icy, snow-covered roads, but it is exhausting and nerve-racking!

Thankfully, we all made it home safely and this will surely be a birthday weekend that we'll talk about for years to come.  I really am beyond touched that my sons gave me such a wonderful gift, even if our time together was cut short! I love those guys so very much!

My sons gave me a wonderful birthday weekend! Believe it or not, it was freezing outside--and very windy with temperatures  in the low 'teens. I don't know how my sons dared go out without jackets  while I'm all bundled up!

 

Much to my surprise, my birthday wasn't over! This week, I received three lovely gifts from stitching friends June, April, and Vickie--thank you all so much. I really am thrilled that you would remember me! And a big thank you to those of you who sent cards and emailed birthday messages...

Gifts from June in Great Britain: a lovely notebook, a much-needed new pen, cute keychain, and a fun tag about chocolate. Thank you so much, June!

Gifts from April in Virginia: a beautifully stitched and finished ornament for my tree, yummy cinnamon pecans (if my husband behaves, I'll share some with him!), and a cute "Sew Happy" notepad. Thank you so much, April!

Gift from Vickie in Wisconsin: a darling black cat wool needlebook. She knew my old kitty was an all-black cat so she modeled her creation after Shadow. I told her I can also use it as a finger puppet to entertain my grandson when we FaceTime! Thank you so much, Vickie!

 

We did end up with about 8 inches of snow from the weekend storm, but it was much worse down in Maryland where we had rented the lake house. It really was lovely to wake up to on Monday morning, though--our first real snow this year! The cardinals look so pretty against the snowy background, don't they?

Such a beautiful couple!

And that's it for this post! I'm working on my ornament for January (it's stitched, but not finished) so I just may be back before the end of the month to share that with you. If not--I'll see everyone in early February. Just a gentle reminder to make sure to include your email address if you want me to try to answer your questions. I have no way of responding if you don't! I hope you enjoy this last ten days of the month--it sure seems like 2022 is already speeding by, doesn't it? Thank you for all of your wonderful comments and emails--I so appreciate each and every one. Bye for now...

Another January winds down

And, just like that, the first month of the new decade is over! How was your January? I've had a busy month between visiting my mom for five days and getting caught up on lots of doctor's appointments. It's always such a relief to have those out of the way, isn't it--those routine exams for this, that, and the other thing? Luckily, I checked out just fine (other than having to have a worrisome growth removed at my annual dermatology appointment) and I feel good to go for another year! I hate going to the doctor (even though my dad was one!), but I forced myself to get caught up with my various doctors this month and it is such a good feeling.

How is your stitching coming along? I've been working on a "behind the scenes" larger project which I hope to have finished to show you in February. When I'm doing a large project like that, I need to stitch a smaller project at the same time and my finish this month was another of the Little House Needleworks Hometown Holidays designs. May I present... the Firehouse, my ornament for January! This one, like the others in the series, is stitched "over one" on 28 ct. black Monaco. I used a mixture of the suggested threads and some of my own choices--when you stitch on black you have to make a few color changes to get the stitches to show up.

Little House Needleworks "Firehouse" finish

The Firehouse joins the other four in the series that I've completed so far:  Tree Lot, Main Street Station, Needlework Shop, and Grandma's House. (You can click on each building name to get more detailed information on these previous finishes). I had been using the Woolies Flannel checked fabrics to finish the others, but there was no coordinating shade of the rust color so I used a different Woolies Flannel pattern and think it blends in nicely. Do you have a favorite so far? I am a blue girl, so Grandma's House is mine. I still have 14 more in the series to stitch and all I know is, I need to do more than one a year if I'm ever going to finish them by the time I can no longer see well enough to stitch on black. So, you will be seeing at least one more finished this year (hopefully!).

My village is growing!

Five down--fourteen to go!

I also have a long ago finish that I finally framed! Yes, "Winter Circle" by The Cricket Collection was something I began in 2007 and finished stitching and beading in 2010. So, where has it been all these years? Stuck away in some dark, airless drawer (with way too many other "unfinished finishes!").  You can read about my 2010 finish right here. I'm embarrassed to say, I even bought the frame back then so it was just pure procrastination on my part that "explains" why I never got around to framing it. But, in a way, I'm glad I waited--I have learned so much about framing since then and I'm sure I did a much better job on it in 2020 than I would have done in 2010. As always, I used the framing tutorial that you can find right here on the With Thy Needle and Thread site.

Finally framed after ten long years!

I debated about whether or not to chalk-paint the gold frame, but in the end, decided to leave it as is--the snow people are so elegant with their top hats, turbans, and pretty feathered hats. I think they deserve a fancy frame, don't you? My finish is stitched on 28 ct. summer khaki Lugana with the suggested threads (because ten years ago, I would never have been brave enough to change even a single color!).  Just look at these cuties--do you have a favorite? Mine is the little chap in the yellow, maroon, and gray argyle sweater, but I do love Little Miss Red Riding Hood, too.

Isn't this the best-dressed group of snow people ever?

Here are some individual photos of each one so you can see them better. I think they would make very cute ornaments, too...

The attention to detail in this design is amazing!

Do you have a favorite?

When I was visiting my mom last week (who, at 92, is doing very well--thank you to all who ask about her!), I enjoyed seeing the older cross-stitched gifts that I have given her through the years. This is one of my very favorites... "Outside My Window" by Lynn's Prints which was featured in the 2005 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Magazine (stitched on 28 ct. glass blue Monaco with the suggested threads). I gave this to my mom and dad for Christmas way back in 2008 because I said it reminded me of the snowy winters in the tiny New York State village where I grew up. After my dad passed away in 2014, cardinals took on a new meaning for me so this piece is especially dear to my heart.

"Outside My Window" stitched and given to my parents in 2008.

Blog Anniversary! Interestingly, I stitched the cardinal piece shown above once more time and featured it in my very first blog post on January 24, 2009. So, yes, Stitching Dreams just celebrated its 11th anniversary a week ago. Who would have thought? I never dreamed of the ways writing a blog would open up my world: new friends and new experiences have walked through my door and my horizons have certainly expanded. There are very few readers still here from when I began blogging in 2009, but a few of you have been with me the entire way. So, I want to give a special thank you to all my readers--both old and new. Your wonderful, heartfelt comments and kind emails have encouraged me to keep stitching and to keep blogging. 

Another birthday has come and gone and I'm officially a senior citizen now. Bring on the discounts--I've earned them, right?! It was a quiet birthday, but I received many wonderful greetings from family and friends. I loved reading your cards, emails, and messages--thank you all!

There is just something so special about receiving a card in the mail!

I received two lovely birthday gifts from stitching friends which I want to share with you, too.

 June, in England sent a pretty garden-themed chart, some floss, and a bee charm for my birthday. Thank you so much, my friend!

 Karen, in Indiana, made this lovely needleroll for me. She says she has a collection of 50-75 of them! This is my first needleroll and I will treasure it--Karen's stitching and finishing is flawless--thank you so much, my friend!

Giveaway Winner... As you'll recall, I had a cute snow chart to give away last time and the name drawn from the hat is...

MARI  K.!!!

Mari K. is the winner!

Congratulations, Mari! Please email me (my email is in the sidebar under "A Bit About Me") with your full name and mailing address and I will get the chart off to you as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy stitching it!

New Giveaway... And, in honor of those cute snowmen I showed you above in "Winter Circle," I have a new giveaway for the Glory Bee chart (shown below) called "Mr. Shivers" (don't you love that name?). This is an actual chart, not one pulled from a magazine. If you would like to win it, please: 1) specifically say so in your comments, 2) make sure to include your email address if I don't already have it and 3) tell me your favorite snack food. I have to admit I'm addicted to Hershey Kisses with almonds--to me nothing beats the chocolate / nut combination when snacking! The drawing will be open until February 12, 2020 and I'll announce the winner on my next post.

If you would like to be entered into the drawing for this cute snowman chart: 1) specifically say you want to enter the giveaway in your comment 2) make sure to leave your email address if I don't already know it and 3) tell me your favorite snack food!

Sharing a recipe... I hope some of you had a chance to try the Double Chocolate Biscotti recipe that I posted in my last post. We froze some and it is just as good coming out of the freezer as it is fresh. I'm down to my last piece now--will definitely be making more. I thought you might like to see another (bit healthier!) treat that I make at least twice a month. I've posted other granola recipes in the past, but we keep coming back to this one as it is so easy to make and has fewer ingredients than many.

Bet you can't stop with just one bite!

I found the original recipe here, but changed it up a bit so here is a copy of my version (you can click on the photo to enlarge it). I love it with yogurt, my husband likes a spoonful on his fruit and cottage cheese concoction, and sometimes, I just pop a handful in my mouth for some quick energy during the day.  Hope you enjoy it--let me know if you try it!

I hope February will be a nice, short month for all of us, because you know what follows...  S-P-R-I-N-G! I can't complain as we have had a real non-winter here... haven't even had to shovel snow at all. I have noticed a distinct improvement in my mood compared to previous winters, too. The milder weather has found me smiling more and having more energy. I love it! So, that's it for January 2020... Thank you all so much for stopping in to visit with me today and a big welcome to my new readers and to you first-time commenters. So glad to have you join us! Happy stitching everyone! Bye for now...

A time for thanks

Why, hello there!  Happy Thanksgiving week to all of my readers here in the U.S. Are you ready for your feast? We are going to be in Ohio for our family's get together this year so I only have to provide a couple of pies, an appetizer, and a tray of cookies--all things I love to make! What does your holiday entail this year? Are you hosting? Going all out with a traditional turkey dinner? Or maybe keeping things simpler this year? I do enjoy the feeling of family that Thanksgiving brings. Compared to Christmas time, there is not as much decorating, no gifts to buy, no hustle and bustle--it's just so nice to simply sit down together to share a fine meal and give thanks. 

In keeping with the spirit of Thanksgiving I have a couple of seasonal stitching finishes to share with you today. This first finish, called "The Lord's Blessing" by Imaginating, was a long time coming. Here's a little story for you that goes way back to the late 1990s. While shopping at a local TJ Maxx, I happened upon a little plaque with the following quotation: "Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way."  I didn't buy the plaque that day, but I did take time to write down the saying as I thought it would be perfect to use on a piece of cross stitch some day. And, you know what? I carried that little scrap of paper in my wallet for many, many years as a reminder to always be hopeful and grateful--that blessings will be coming my way when I least expect them. 

Flash forward to 2018. It's one of those days when you just don't know what to stitch next... I began leafing through my notebooks of charts (I file them by designer) and came upon "The Lord's Blessing" and immediately knew I had found the perfect piece to incorporate that quotation that had been haunting me for the past two decades. And here is the result!

A Thanksgiving finish

I stitched this on 40 ct. burch Newcastle (yes, that is how "burch" is spelled on the 123 Stitch website!). The only DMC colors I changed were the ones on the pumpkin and the larger diamonds on the border: I used DMC 975 and 3826. The original chart had the words GIVE THANKS in large letters with "For Family, Friends, and the Lord's Blessings" underneath so it was easy to chart it out. Not so easy to get it centered--hence the little heart stitched to the far right! ♥

I changed the wording of the sentiment

From doing a bit of research (once a librarian, always a librarian!), it appears that this is a traditional Native American saying. How appropriate for this time of year given the history of what is often referred to as the "first Thanksgiving" celebrated in New England in the early 17th century. I love the hopefulness of this saying--it prompts me to remember that no one knows what lies ahead, but that there will surely be blessings, both large and small, coming into your life.  I will probably be framing this one, but it would also make a nice larger pillow--we'll see!

Love the acorns in this piece!

My second Thanksgiving finish is one I stitched way back in 2015--you can read about my finish in this post. The Cricket Collection's "Be Ye Thankful" is still readily available for purchase even though it was designed way back in 1997! I guess that shows  you what staying power this design has. Anyway, I'm trying to use up the frames in my stash and didn't have one that fit just right. So I decided to sew a piece of gingham (from a dishtowel) to the linen and add a piece of gold handmade cording to the seam for a better fit. I really love the final finish--it is very simple and doesn't overwhelm the pretty stitching. I look forward to having "Be Ye Thankful" on display at Thanksgiving celebrations for years to come.

"Be Ye Thankful" framed and ready for Thanksgiving

Missing my monthly ornaments? If you've been wondering about my monthly Christmas ornament status--yes, I'm behind! I have October, November, and December all stitched, but not finished. I hope to get at least two of them done this coming week so check back soon! And then, there will be my annual "Parade of Ornaments" in a December post--I can hardly believe that time of year has arrived again, can you?

A surprise gift! After returning from my third trip to New York  (in five weeks!) to help out my mom (who is doing much better--thank you all for your prayers and positive thoughts!), I found a surprise package from one of my readers who wants to remain anonymous. She said she was "destashing" (something I need to do, myself!) and came across two charts that were just "so me" so she wanted to pass them along. Isn't that sweet? Thank you so much, my friend--I really look forward to stitching the sweet beaded bee and the charming red house!

Gifts from one of my readers

Chart giveaway... In my final bit of stitching-related news, I'm having another giveaway! This one is for a beautiful patriotic Santa stocking chart (from Cross Stitch & Needlework magazine: July-August 2000). Isn't he handsome? But, I know I'll never stitch the stocking so I'm hoping to pass it along to someone who will. If you are interested in giving this chart a new home, just let me know in your comments and please be a follower of my blog. Also, to make it more fun, please tell me the name of your favorite food at Thanksgiving. This giveaway is for three pages torn from an old magazine--not the whole magazine. If more than one person wants it, I will do a drawing.  PLEASE, PLEASE make sure to include your email in with your comment--I won't be trying to track anyone down if they haven't included their email address... Also, please be aware that I will be folding up the pages and mailing them in a legal sized envelope to save on postage.  I'll announce the winner the next time I post...

I'm giving away this patriotic Santa stocking chart!

Ch-ch-ch-changes! For those of you who don't live in a climate with distinct seasons, I thought you might enjoy these photos taken just two weeks apart. This beautiful buck appears to be looking right across my front porch and into my dining room window, doesn't he? I just love this photo with the bright orange foliage and fallen leaves. If you notice, the antler on the left is missing some points compared to the fuller one on the right--not sure what might have happened!

Oh, "deer!" It appears he lost some of his one antler!

And just two weeks later, this is what we woke up to here in western Pennsylvania! A beautiful icy winter wonderland. This is my backyard as viewed from my upstairs bathroom window. There really wasn't much snow--but because of the ice it clung to every tree branch and remaining leaf making it look like a fairyland. It's all gone now as it warmed up over the weekend, but it honestly was a breathtaking sight while it lasted!

Our backyard simply glistened in the ice and snow last week

I truly want to thank each of you who reached out to me through your comments and by email after my last post. I had so many requests to keep my blog going and some wonderful compliments about my stitching, finishing, and writing style.  Believe me--if I decide to stop blogging--you will know about it. I am not going to be one of those bloggers who just disappears... I honestly consider you my friends and, when the time comes (and it will some day!), I will bow out with a fond farewell. So thank you all for taking the time to read and comment!

I'll leave you with a little throwback to the past--a vintage Thanksgiving photo from 55 years ago. How do I know it was from 1963? Well, my youngest sister was off-camera in a baby bassinet and she just turned 55 this fall! So, that makes me 8 years old in this photo--I'm the one with the headband (remember those?!) holding up a feathered Tom Turkey. My dear mother always ensured that we had quite the feast each year and I'm so thankful for the traditions that she began and I have continued with my own family. Because, after all, that's what Thanksgiving is all about, isn't it: family, friends, and food--and giving thanks for our blessings (both already received and those yet to come)!  Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! Bye for now...

Thanksgiving: 1963 style!

A big finish and a tiny giveaway...

Good morning! And how are my stitching friends on this final day of May? Summer has "unofficially" started with the Memorial Day weekend, but it is still feeling rather cool and springlike here--I am longing for those warm 75° days when I don't have to dress in layers and the furnace is no longer coming on in the house! Hopefully, by the next time I post, we will have some true summer weather.

Before I show you my "big" finish, I want to express my thanks for your wonderful comments on my previous post. You were all so sweet with your compliments about my mom's 90th birthday party (and my beautiful mom!). As I told some of you--the smile on her face made all of my hard work worthwhile. She loved reading everyone's comments and wants to thank you all for your kind "Happy Birthday" wishes! Throughout my blogging journey, my mom has been one of my biggest supporters--always reading each post, telling me "that was a good one," and being amazed at,  and interested in, the friends that I have made (from all around the world) as a result of my little old blog... So, thank you--stitching friends are the best!

So, after five months, my "big" (for me!) finish is done--"A Walk In the Woods" was completed last week and I love it more each time I see it.  I began stitching this Cricket Collection design as my "New Year's start" and have worked on it intermittently since then.

"A Walk In the Woods"--all finished up!!

I used 40 ct. flax Newcastle linen with most of the suggested DMC threads for this piece. I did change the dark purple color to a less vibrant 3740 as I thought it looked better with the subdued colors of this sampler. I also made quite a few changes to the letters. Many of them had a straight line running across the tops of the "open" letters like the U, V, X, and Y that closed the letter off and I didn't like that look. So I omitted the lines and redesigned a few of the letters of the alphabet.

Love that little nest!

My biggest change was to the right of the date--there was supposed to be a crown there. What? I know samplers often include crown motifs, but I just didn't understand what it had to do with this sampler. Everything else is nature related so I found a simple bouquet motif in one of my stitching books, changed the colors to blues and purples, embellished it a bit, and voilà--I had my final motif! You can get a better glimpse of it in this photo... I thought it looked as though I had walked through the woods and picked a delicate bunch of posies to take home with me!

I added the little bouquet

So, what is your favorite motif on our nature walk? I really love the nest with the lone blue egg, but that border of violas is what first drew me to this design. I am just thrilled with this finish and I am considering sending it to be framed by Jill Rensel. I'm sure it will be quite expensive, but I've long admired the magic Jill does with her frames. Have any of you sent things to her? I just love scrolling through her blog and seeing her work!

Nature's beauty in stitches...

Unfortunately, not much other stitching has been going on. Like a lot of you, this is a busy, busy time for outdoor chores. We've been planting, transplanting, pruning, and mulching in our free time. At times, it feels rather hopeless, because, chances are, the deer will eat what we've planted. But, they usually avoid the geraniums, petunias, and ferns that we chose, so--fingers crossed! Things are looking a bit sparse right now, but I hope to fill in with a few more plants in the coming weeks.

Our patio garden

Ferns seem to love our yard, so we transplanted several to the front of the porch. We've put out the porch furniture since I took the photo below, too--I can hardly wait to sit there and stitch on a warm June day.

Transplanted ferns seem to be loving our front porch!

Just love the bright yellow of these tuberous begonias. Sam's Club was selling these--all potted up with the English Ivy--for only $14.99! Wish I had bought more than two pots...

Floral sunshine

Blue salvia and pink coral bells come back year after year

We've had tons of bunnies (yay!!) visiting our yard and I caught these two playing hide and seek behind the rose bush (which hasn't bloomed yet because the deer keep attacking it!).   Do you see the deer antlers lying on the ground? My husband found them in the woods behind our house last year and placed them in the garden as a sort of decoration (and to ward off the deer--ha ha!). Anyway, I noticed that the antlers seemed to be "melting" and getting smaller and smaller over the past year. Then one day, I spotted a tiny squirrel nibbling away at them! It seems that the antlers provide needed calcium to squirrels, chipmunks, and other rodents and also help sharpen their teeth! Who knew?!

Bunny hide and seek!

Patriotic stitching, anyone? Since many of us are stitching patriotic pieces this time of year, I came across this chart in an old magazine that I thought one of you might like. If you are interested in giving this chart a new home, just let me know in your comments. This is just two pages torn from a magazine--not the whole magazine. If more than one person wants it, I will do a drawing.  PLEASE, PLEASE make sure to include your email in with your comment--I won't be trying to track anyone down if they haven't included their email address... Also, just so you know, I will be folding this up and mailing it in a legal sized envelope to save on postage. I'll announce the winner the next time I post...

I'm having a giveaway for this cute patriotic chart

Lots of traveling will be happening in June as we have back to back family weddings on opposite coasts of the United States. Yep--almost 3000 miles apart! Two different nephews from each side of the family are getting married a week apart and, although I'm looking forward to seeing all the extended family, I'm not looking forward to all that travel. But, after these trips are over, we can relax for the summer--can't wait!

Thank you so much for visiting me today--and a special thanks to all of you who take the time to comment. I do appreciate each and every one! Hope you have a lovely day and manage to fit in at least some stitching time during this busy, busy season. Bye for now...

Thank yous and spring stitches

It's April! March zoomed by with just a single blog post from me--how did that happen? I try to post twice a month, but other things took precedence last month... More working hours on weekends, a long-overdue trip to New York to spend five days with my mom, a wonderful week-long visit from my oldest son. But, I have been stitching! Before I show you what I've been up to, I want to say a heartfelt "thank you" to each of you who commented on my last post or emailed me to congratulate me on the British Craft Award win. I couldn't be prouder to be a member of such a supportive community of needleworkers--we all celebrate each other's success whether it be for a new start, an amazing finish, or an unexpected honor! Thank you again, my friends--your kindness means so very much to me...

So, do you remember that sweet Prairie Schooler bunny stitched on black that I showed you in my March post? Well, he's all finished up and, I must say, I'm very proud of this one!! I made him into a little hanging pouch, filled it with some dried baby's breath, and hung it on the wooden knob of my corner cupboard. Oh, my--it just makes me smile every time I see it!! The bag is very small (just 3 1/2 inches from bottom to top (not  counting the hanger)--just my style.

Prairie Schooler bunny pouch

The back of the little pouch is a fun black and white polka-dot fabric and the gingham trim and hanger are cut from an old pair of slacks.  It took me an entire afternoon to figure out how to make this as I had never done anything like it before. It's not perfect (as I couldn't figure out how to line it), but it looks pretty darn good for my first attempt at sewing curves, don't you think? My ancient 40-year-old sewing machine rebelled, though, and it was all I could do to coax it to do "just a few more stitches, please!"

Love, love, love this little finish!

This next finish is one of the monochromatic designs from Little House Needleworks--Spring. I had the hardest time photographing it as it was a gray, dreary day when I took the photo. It is stitched "over one" on 28 ct. ivory evenweave so the finished size is just a bit over 3 inches square. 

Little House Needleworks Spring

For this piece, I worked backward and chose the floss color based on this pretty spring green piece of gingham I wanted to use (the gingham came from an old shirt of my husband's!). After auditioning all shades of green, the one that popped to the front was Anchor 214. Where I got this skein of Anchor thread, I have no clue as I only purchase DMC or overdyeds. It must have been a gift at some time or other. But, it worked perfectly for the fabric I had chosen! Here it is all finished up as a flat finish (the backing is simply covered with some ivory felt). I found a perfectly colored button and some green ric rak to jazz it up a bit. I'm very pleased with the final outcome...

A spring green finish

Here is another view straight on--I had a bit of trouble getting this one to photograph well. 

Little House Needleworks Spring--all finished up!

And my "A Walk In the Woods" sampler is inching along as well... I've added another line of letters and that gorgeous nest (which caused much anxiety as I kept having to rip out wrongly placed stitches time after time!). But, isn't it pretty with the lone egg resting there? My goal is to have this one finished by the end of April--fingers crossed!

It's growing!

Our spring weather here in Western Pennsylvania has been less than ideal. I think because our winter was so easy this year, we all hoped for a warm, sunny, early spring! But, that hasn't been the case... There has been lots and lots of clouds and rain. Luckily, all I have to do to get my daily dose of sunshine is to look over at my "yellow" shelf in my corner cupboard. I dare you not to smile when you glance at it--just look at all of the cute bunnies, chicks, and sunny colors. I love it! When I posted this photo on my Instagram page, there were a lot of comments about that little polka-dot bowl. I had just purchased that (as a set of three!) for a mere $7.99 at Homegoods. The other two are white with yellow dots and yellow with white stripes--so cute for spring decorating!

My cheery yellow corner shelf

March was my month to take in the treat for our department meeting at the library, so I spent a few hours in the kitchen making this plate of goodies. As you know, I love to bake, but with my three sons all grown and out of the house, I just can't bake as much as I used to when there were five of us living here. So, it was a real treat to put together this tray of Chunky Cheesecake Brownies and Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies for my very appreciative  coworkers. You can try baking some for yourself by clicking on the names of the goodies--I've linked to the recipes for you! Yum!!

Chocolate overload!

I really appreciate all of your thoughts on when to retire from my last post. I've pretty much decided that the end of 2018 will be it for me--right before I turn 64. But, there is a new bump in the road! My "new" boss who has been here all of one year, will be leaving at the end of this month... What a shock! Now we all have to adjust once again to a new manager and new ways of doing things. I'm getting too old for this! So, who knows... we'll see what transpires this year!

More advice needed... As I mentioned above, my old sewing machine (which was gifted to me by my parents as a college graduation gift 40 years ago!) is giving up the ghost. I have thought about purchasing a new machine, but the choice just seems overwhelming! There are so many bells and whistles now--do I really need them? On the other hand, I do hope to be sewing more in the future after retirement so I want more than a basic machine. Do any of you have advice for me? Any thoughts would be much appreciated!!

New Giveaway for this pretty chart... I have a lovely little Homespun Elegance chart which needs a new home. "Be Ye Kind & True" is from the May/June 1992 issue of "Cross Stitch and Country Crafts" magazine. An oldie, but goodie! If you are interested in giving this chart a new home, just let me know in your comments. This is just two pages torn from a magazine--not the whole magazine. If more than one person wants it, I will do a drawing.  PLEASE, PLEASE make sure to include your email in with your comment--I won't be trying to track anyone down if they haven't included their email address... Also, just so you know, I will be folding this up and mailing it in a legal sized envelope to save on postage.

I'm giving away this chart from an old magazine

GIVEAWAY WINNER from my last post... There were ten entries to win the Nora Corbett chart called "Gathering Eggs," so I did a simple drawing and the winner is:

JO (from Serendipitous Stitching) 

Congratulations to Jo! Please send me your mailing address and I'll get this pretty chart off to you as soon as possible (although since Jo lives in England, it may take longer than normal!). I hope you enjoy it... And for those of you who didn't win this time--please keep an eye on my blog for future chart giveaways...

Chart giveaway won by Jo

 

I hope some nice, sunny spring weather is finally here by the next time I post! Thanks so very much for visiting me today; it's always a pleasure to read your comments and emails...  Wishing you a lovely week ahead with lots of stitching time! Bye for now...