this, that, and a giveaway

(from the back door, I didn’t see the bunny til now)

(from my sewing room)

(my living room)

It’s been pretty busy here. Lots to do in the sewing room and not much time for other things. As you can see it’s starting to look like Fall in my neighborhood, I am enjoying the views so are Jane and Yzma!

I’ve been itching to start a big something. I should probably pull out an old big something and get it finished but I decided to make a start on this Quaker from With My Needle. I actually stitched the ‘A’ of this sampler on 4 pieces of fabric in 4 different threads before I settled on this combination. I really liked the way the printed pattern looked, just the dark ink on the paper, I wanted that look (I can’t show you a picture of the pattern obviously) but this gives that feel to me. I’m stitching this on 40 lambswool linen over 2 with 1 strand of DMC 844. I almost went more blue but it’s time to settle in and stitch this – no more fiddling.

On the knitting needles I’ve got started on a hat for myself. I’ve wanted to give color work a try, I do feel sort of like I’m cheating on this. It’s super easy using two skeins of the same yarn just starting in different spots color-wise. Super easy if I count right. I’m using this yarn (Rainbow Trout) and this pattern – fun!

I’ve been entering drawings all over blog town, to no avail, so I thought I’d just have one of my own. This is my 1,200th post so it’s time for a giveaway! I wanted to say thank you for visiting me here. I haven’t had time to make anything new but if you would like to enter your name for one of these two items (I’m going to pick two names one will win the Needle Roll and the other the Acorn) please leave a comment here and I will draw the winners on Friday night. I really am thankful for everyone who takes time to stop by for a visit!

Hope your week has been full of happy things! Back to the sewing room!

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off to Norway!

Not I but this little Summer offering I made for Anna. Actually I know it has safely arrived. Anna and I have exchanged Prairie Schooler things in the past, she’s a wonderful finisher, I was thrilled to be her partner and even more so when her lovely ornament arrived here. I’m happy to report that Anna liked this little Summer pillow.

A yummy leftover dish I created last night. I had three Buffalo chicken breasts left over from a few nights ago so I made a bleu cheese cream sauce (with my favorite Maytag bleu) and added shredded chicken. Stirred in some garden pasta, garnished with a bit more cheese..Buffalo Bleu Mac n Cheese. yum! I’ll add an official recipe as soon as I write one up, I have lots of paperwork to get through today.

It’s Friday!!!

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PS – don’t forget about the 10% off Moda Marmalade at the webshop!  Quantities Limited – Very!

exchanging

 

I took part in an exchange of Prairie Schooler gifts this summer.  This is the lovely ornament made for me by Anna. It reminds me of the similar looking wildflowers that seem to grow along every roadside this time of year which have long been summer favorites of mine. I took these roadside pictures during a late morning drive today.

Anna also sent me a bundle of goodies to enjoy and I did enjoy that chocolate very much. Does anyone know if this is available in the USA? It’s even better than Dove milk chocolate which I love. Maybe it would be best if it isn’t available here!

Speaking of bundles, I’ve marked these yummy fabrics 10% off at the website. I only have 1 each of the large bundles left but quite a few of the charms.

Hope the remainder of your weekend is spiffy. I’m off to make some french dip sandwiches for a late lunch here.

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PS I’ll post my exchange offering later this week.

Breezy Summer Giveaway!

A big thank you to Norden Crafts for featuring the webshop in their Norden’s Needleworkers post, I’m so excited to be part of their summer blogging.

I squeezed in a Rocky Mountain Wednesday post before getting back to some serious cross stitch blogging today. Serious because it’s about one of my favorite designers, it’s a finish I’ve been stewing on for ages, and there is a giveaway involved!

Whenever the new Prairie Schoolers come out I want to pull out all my PS designs and make big plans. This time I pulled out a stitched design and got busy on a finish. I want to display some seasonal wall hangings that can be changed throughout the year. Here is the first of what I hope will be many. This is Prairie Schooler’s Summer Breeze. I stitched this last summer on the lake, it really does remind me of the breeze on the water when I look at it.

Speaking of the new designs….the webshop specials run through the end of June. The new designs are wonderful!

Now for the giveaway….Please leave a comment at this post, tell me which is your favorite PS design of all time (if you can narrow it down) before I post on Monday June 25th. The name drawn will receive this Friendship Pincushion, some pins for it of course, and a selection of PS mini cards.

Thank you for coming by!

PS Jane says hello!

decorating begins

I couldn’t resist stitching up this ornament as soon as I saw it. It is from the 2011 JCS Ornament issue which Marianne so sweetly sent me. This is Little House Needlework’s submission which is my favorite of the issue but there are lots more on my really, really like list. Thank you again Marianne!

Ethan is helping Aunt Janet decorate the main tree. Jerry flys back to Omaha in a few hours and we are all still full from Thanksgiving here.

Hope your Thanksgiving weekend has been wonderful, and those who shop are thrilled with their loot. My weekend purchases amount to 2 rolls of paper towels whooo hooo!

Happy Holidays!

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a rainy day

Yesterday I spent a wonderful day at the Detroit Zoo with a very dear friend and our two youngest children Ethan and Marki. Here is an old picture of Ethan and Marki together, they are so little!

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thank you all so very much!

What a lovely weekend full of bloggy hugs! I feel so encouraged to work harder at being a good blogger and the importance of keeping a useful webshop running – thank you all!

The winners list

Reverse Keepers -

Marja & Deborah P. in FL

The Stocking -

Cari (please let me know which stocking you would like Cari)

50% off webshop order -

Cal A. in the UK (I’ll process your refund after I blog Cal – thank you so much for shopping with me)

I decided to draw 6 more names and send each a skein of Belle Soie Silk -

Janice in PA
Cristina in Spain
Ann-Maree in Australia
StitchinSweetSue
Clare in England
Joanna

Please be sure I have your addresses winners! Also, if you have a blog please send me your link and I’ll add it here.

Thank you again!

Here in the US it was Mother’s Day this past Sunday. Amber gave me this sweet little doll. I also received a cookbook I’ve been wanting, some very pretty vintage china thrift shop finds, and yes there was cheese from my favorite local shop. In the afternoon we went for a relaxing drive along the Poudre.

Scarlet Quince even has a cross stitch chart of the Cache la Poudre, I have it in my stash though I doubt I’ll ever get around to stitching it!

Here is the view from the spot we ate our lunch along the way -

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PS – I’ll leave the free/$2.00 shipping on until Thursday!

so nice

Blogging friends are really so very nice! 

This past week bloggers have been so very kind and generous to me.  I was invited by a blog friend to a wonderful lecture and lunch in Denver this past Saturday all about Schoolgirl Samplers.  The lecture was given by Amy Finkel who deals in these beautiful old samplers and has a little shop in Philadelphia.  I had a wonderful time and met some lovely ladies.  Thank you again Judy!!

I also want to thank Milly, Tracey, & Carol for these sweet awards.  I’m only semi following the rules here and passing these on to 5 bloggers (there are bunches more I would put on the list but I see that many of them have been awarded already).

• Nancy at Lovely in Chocolate
• Margaret at A Sampler of Stitches
• Su at Contemplating my Needle & Thread
• Christina at The Sometimes Crafter
• Katrina at A Kiwi Stitching

 

As part of the award I’m supposed to  tell 10 things about myself , sorry but I could only come up with 5 (they are very dull anyway, 10 would have put you to sleep).

1. I’ve been stitching for over 25 years
2. I used to work as the food service director for a camp/conference center
3. I have cooked for over 500 people at a time
4. I met my husband when I was 14
5. I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up – I homeschool

 

Thank you again!!!

I’ve kitted up Honeysuckle Manor to start, I think I’m going to change the linen to 35 Weeks Linen-linen, it looks much more like the linen in photo than the recommended linen (the very yellow looking linen you can see between the book and the threads).  Maybe this should be my late Spring early Summer project, I have too many things I’d like to complete before I start yet another sampler…but I may not be able to resist.

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friendship

Such good stuff in the mail from stitching friends. My exchange stocking from Janice. Isn’t it pretty?? Janice organized our exchange over at the BBD Yahoo group – thank you so much Janice for everything!

A super surprise from another stitching friend. I’ve wanted this chart for ages and my friend was so sweet and sent it to me recently – lovely. I’m leaning toward a blue thread for this – thank you, thank you! Kim and Cari also sent me wonderful designs I had admired recently, thank you both so very much! Can’t wait to share my finishes here.

My family has been a great support to me recently – I’ve been so busy (doing work that I love, it sure has been an exciting month for cross stitchers) that I’ve barely had time to get chores done around the house. They have picked up the slack beautifully. Amber made some great pesto the other night and even took pictures of it for my blog. She has been doing all the work on the improvements you see here on my blog as well as helping me with my other work – thank you Amber. Jerry has twice sent me to stitch in a quiet room this month, just so that I could relax – good thing, it’s the only stitching I’ve had a chance to do. Two days of stitching in last 3 weeks, that has to be a record low for me I think – thank goodness for small projects.

So to all my friends and family, here are some flowers from my garden for you!

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PS – Yzma & Ophelia say hello!

PPS – I’m not sure why my paragraphs are bunching together here – I’ll have Amber take a look.

full of good things

Tyler came back from the mailbox with his arms full – seriously. In the pile of packages was one marked ‘Royal Mail’. Since I had no idea what it could be (everything else were items I ordered) I opened it first to Ethan’s yells of, “what is it, what is it?”. At the same time Tyler, Ethan and I said, “oooohhhhh!” When we saw this wonderful book (photographed on some of the fabric that also came in the mail). It is really a beautiful edition and I’m so touched by this gift. I love the compact size, the gold edged pages, the beautiful typeset – everything about it. Thank you again Caroline!!

Did you know that Carrie’s Creation Threads are now available in silk and at Handcrafts Online? Here is sampling of 30 colors. In order they are: Blue Dreams, Indigo, Ashes, Elephant Grey, Bullfrog, Frosty Pine, Valley Green, Clover, Teal Mist, Aquamarine, Waterfall, Viridian, Tropical Water, Bay Breeze, Baja Blue, Cherry, Crimson, Olde World Red, Dusty Rose, Amethyst, Lavender, Blueberry Pie, Aubergine, Sorbet, Bordeaux, Multigrain, Buffalo Fur, Caribou Hide, Antique Gold, Dawn Sky. Beautiful threads, wonderful price.

Happenings:

This Easter Weekend – beginning tomorrow shipping for webshop orders is only .99 in the US and 1.99 to the rest of the world. Any size order.

April 15 – The Online Needlework Show - Shop with me!

In less than 2 weeks – My 3 year blogoversary (and 4 year Webshop anniversary). Yes there will be prizes.