IT'S BEEN A MINUTE

 So busy and time just slips away.  Summer is already half over & I feel like I haven't really done anything.  The flower gardens both front and back, have kept me busy, but the heat and humidity has been wearing me down.  We did go to Pennsylvania in the beginning of June for a few days and that was fun, but antiquing down there isn't what it used to be.  I did manage to find some little odds and ends one of them being my sought after Martha Washington sewing table:

It's amazing the range of prices they have...from $150 all the way up to $500!  I found this one at Black Angus Antiques in Adamstown, stuck way in a corner loaded with junk!  I don't even think the lady realized she had it.  She gave me a good price so Martha came home.

Then at a flea market I found this little box.  It was filthy, but I managed to clean it up and then I lined it with some vintage fabric.  I doubt I'll use it but it looks sweet on my table.  It's needlepoint with worn blue velvet sides.

I needed a break from xstitch, so I started some wool applique projects.  I had this antique basket that had a hole in the front so I use a pattern from Rebekah L Smith's book and customized it to fit.

And then, I saw someone on Youtube that had made eyeglass cases for magnifying glasses...and of course, since I switch from one pair to the other, I though I would make a case as well.  

Last but not least....my friend Sally and I are having an antique sale on the beautiful grounds of her gorgeous little red farmhouse!  We are so excited!!  We'll be joined by two other long time collectors/dealers that live in the Clarkston area as well...so...we're getting ready!!  It's not until August 14th...just enough time to gather up treasures, shine 'em up, and get 'em ready to sell!!  If you're in the area...I'm sure it will be a most pleasurable day of shopping and walking the gardens!

 

My son and his little family are heading up here from Charleston on Monday & we can't wait!!!. I hope Elsa has bid a fond & uneventful fairwell!!  Have a great week!

HAPPY DAY AFTER ...

Another Mother's day has come and gone.  The weather here in Michigan was absolutely  terrible...I think the temps went to 42 with rain ALL DAY!!   I swear...May is getting to be more like March and April!  Anyway...I hope you all had a good day.  We didn't do much.....our plans kind of changed at the last minute..but that's ok...I had plenty of time to sit and stitch in the after noon.  My wonderful husband surprised me with this beautiful bouquet of roses with hydrangeas

We went and visited my mom, who turned 89 a couple of weeks ago.  Then my middle son, Nathan, and his daughter came to visit as well.  Karsyn is our oldest grandchild and I can't believe she is driving....boo-hoo!!!

My hair is atrocious!!  I haven't been to the hair salon in months...but Wednesday, mom and I are both going!!

I made this wreath for my mom....at 89, she still loves handmade items and she loves Americana!  I followed Priscilla Blain's tutorial on youtube (Priscilla & Chelsea).  She has the best, easiest, and most inexpensive way to make things.   

I purchased more fabric to make a few more project bags.  I went to the quilt shop near me, and was pleasantly surprised that their prices were actually less than Joann fabrics!  I did not have any Joann coupons last week when I went...paying full price for ANYTHING just about kills me!

I am participating in the Blackbird Design SAL on instagram...so this week I stitched up a drum with the design "Hats Off To Uncle Sam".  It was the first drum pincushion I've ever made and it wasn't too bad!

It's far from perfect, but I'm pretty pleased with it!

Well...that's it for this week.  Have a wonderful week & keep your fingers & toes crossed that it warms up just a bit...I have a porch full of plants and flowers just waiting to go into the ground!

PUTZING AND SEWING

 It's been a minute...but we've been busy.  We had a nice visit in South Carolina with our youngest son, his wife and the three little girls.  The weather couldn't have been nicer!  I've been on a stitching binge these last couple of weeks but I found a FlossTuber who had an excellent tutorial on making project bags.  

Her channel is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzcbp9JByXU&t=944s                                                        Elizabethanncanstitch

She has really nice videos on not only her cross stitch, but on things to sew, how to frame etc.  I really enjoy watching her.  I made these two project bags this evening.  I'm horrible with a rotary cutter and even worse sewing in zippers, but I did it!  They are fully lined and lined with flannel interfacing.  The two of them cost under $20 to make, but I have fabric enough to make another one.  

I made the last birth sampler for our grandchildren...Catherine, who just turned one, is the last of our little treasures.  Catherine's is a little different that the other two...I added three little girls, she and her two sisters.  The oldest one has red hair, Josephine, the second girl has blonde hair, and then Catherine is a brunette.

I'm still stitching on Isabella Johnstone...I have all of the lettering done beneath her name (not pictured) and am starting on the border.  Every one seems to do their border first, but for some reason, it really bugs me to do it first...so like a weirdo...I do the insides first!

This is my weekend WIP, The Christmas Garden by Blackbird Design.  It is my oldest project, having started it in the spring of 2019.  I tried my darndest to use a scroll rod with my Lowry stand, but I just can't do it.  I stitch much better in hand.  So I'll be selling my stand plus all of my scroll rods...UGH!

Well..gotta run...hope everyone is saying safe and healthy.  Excited that it is getting nicer out...only thing...that means yardwork which I hate as of late!  Take care and thanks for reading my blog!

FOR THE LOVE OF SAMPLERS...

 It's been a while, March flew by and I think April is going to fly by as well...I have been in a sampler mood...I usually don't have many WIPS and like to finish what I start, but I have fallen in the proverbial "rabbit hole"! 

The first sampler is the "1854 Isabella Johnstone Sampler".  It is a reproduction by Needlework Press and was first published in Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly.  I had seen one of my favorite floss tubers finish and frame this piece, and I fell in love with it.  I am stitching it on 28 Count, Fawn by PTP fabrics using all DMC.  The pattern calls for 28 count and luckily, I had a large enough piece.  I love the mottling in the fabric.  I did make one change...I used DMC 612 instead of the called for 613 for the numbers.

And as one of my favorite floss tube stitchers, The Contented Stitcher, said...lets face it...this sampler is all about the cow!

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+contented+stitcher

This pattern is still available at some cross stitch shops, but fortunately, I have just about every SANQ magazine in my stash!

Next, is the "Noel Sampler" by Brenda Gervais.  I have loved this design for so long..but I gotta tell you...stitching that house took me forever!!  I still do not have mortar in completely! It's a pretty good size sampler.

I am using 32 count Zweigart, Winter Moon.  I am also using DMC floss except for the white.  For that, I am using silk floss by Dinky Dyes, in Natural.  

My smaller finish is by Blackbird design.  "In Full Glory" is in their Sweet Land of Liberty book which is a reprint.  If you love patriotic designs that are slightly muted in color, you will love this book!  I used 32 count Korte, by R&R Reproductions. I'm going to make it into a pinkeep for my patriotic dough bowl.  

I just have to share this little card my grand daughter made for her mom, who had been very ill this past month but now is on the mend.  I just thought it was cute how she made everything rhyme.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend!  

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

Good morning...I hope you will all have a beautiful Valentines Day...we're baking cookies and making cards (my grand daughter is over) to drop them off at the grandkids' houses this afternoon.  It's another frigid day with just some sprinkling of snow. 

 

OUT & ABOUT FOR A BIT

 Patience is not my greatest virtue...I've been home most of the past couple of weeks except for an occasional trip to Krogers & taking people to doctors'appointments..so today, my hubs & I flew the coup for a couple of hours.  I had some stitching things I wanted to frame, so we went there..then there are a couple of very unique shops...a mix of vintage, antique and newer items in both of these shops.  Here are my treasures for the day...prices were really good, so I couldn't help myself..

I love this sweet cloth sewing basket!  It is really good condition with the insides fully intact...it was $15.

Then this little set of French frames....

And some vintage, wrought iron bookends...

My DH with another sign/mirror to add to his collection...

A beautful, vintage copper watering can.  

All but one of the items I bought were under $20 and one under $10.  Like I need more stuff!!  But sometimes, it's just fun to be frivolous!  It's supercold here in Michigan...our furnace was on the blink so it was freezing in the house...brrr... but finally, a company was able to come out yesterday and repair it.  We forgot that the guy had us crank up the thermostat to make sure it was working.  So this morning we woke up to an 80 degree living room and kitchen!  Have a great day and stay safe and stay warm!!

IT'S BEEN A WHILE...QUITE A WHILE..

Good afternoon!!  Another gorgeous, snowy day here in south eastern Michigan...I love snow, especially when I don't have to get out in it!  We had about five inches dumped on us last night...all within a couple of hours.

Nothing much new here...just the same old "6 & 7" as my grandma used to say.  I thought I would share some of my grand daughter's artwork.  She's almost 7 and loves to paint.  She'll sketch out her design in pencil and then go to town on the water colors!  I thought they were really sweet and just wanted to share!

I've been doing a bit of rearranging in the house...purging once again.  I swear...I think this stuff reproduces!  My back porch is full of things to go to the Salvation Army...they ought to love me!  Every week they get a fresh load!

We bought an oil painting for over the mantle this past weekend....my husband, surprisingly fell in love with it...It's BIG..

The frame is a little fancy for me, but it fits in nicely with my other pieces of "eclectic-like" stuff. And at least I don't have to worry about anything else on that wall!

I've been doing a little stitching...I did finish a design by Brenda Gervais, "Faith of the Heart"..now to find a frame...and of course, I can't stitch anything without error..UGH!  I just left it!  The colors are beautiful.

I have been crocheting quite a bit this past month...I made myself a small afghan, just to cover my legs when stitching. It's just a granny square with shades of lavender.

Then I made my self a pair of fingerless gloves...I don't really know the point in them because your fingers still freeze!  

We made a trip to IKEA a couple of weeks ago and purchased another one of their peg boards.  They are so low on inventory..but I did manage to find one of the size I needed.  I hung up my hand dyed floss by company and in alphabetical order.  It's much easier to find the colors that I do NOT have...LOL!

And then there is this way of organizing...my friend Deb, was a cross stitcher way back when and this is how she organized her floss at the time...

I have never seen DMC braided before, but she had taken cross stitch classes in the 70's, and this is how she was taught to store her floss!  Can you imagine the time it took to do this?  You can see, that not all of the skeins were braided, but most of them that were in here binder were braided!! The number of the DMC color, are on those little tags stuck to the white mesh & the floss was attached with pins!  They looked beautiful, but I would hate to be the one to take threads out of those braids!

Well...that's it for now.  Take care...hope you all can get your vaccine soon, if you haven't already.  We're still waiting to hear about ours...nothing yet.  Have a great evening!