Carolyn Talked Me Into It

Yep that Carolyn posted about a pinkeep and it grabbed me. Of course I had to add a little spin on it. Turned over on the back, there is a place to hold my scissors. This didn't take long at all to finish and I particularly love the ribbon for the bow. I get it at one of my haunts here in Orlando, The Sewing Studio, and it's green on one side and pink on the other. This comes in alot of different color combinations and you know I'll have to get all of them. LOL

Just a reminder....don't forget to enter my giveaway.

As always, Barbara

A Little Shepherd's Bush Finish

Don't you just love Shepherd's Bush? Her sense of color and form is simply wonderful and a joy to stitch. I so loved stitching this little fellow but I just can't make up my mind how I'm going to finish him. A scissor case? A needlebook? A pinkeep? HELP!!!! For some reason my mind is blank on this one and I really could use some suggestions.

I hope everyone is having a terrific day and has sunshine like we do down here. I sure do feel for those unfortunate people in the northeast with all the rain and flooding they've had to put up with. We sure have had a crazy winter this year and let's hope the summer months are just the opposite....nice and quiet.

Have you all heard that Carriage House is closing her designing doors? We have lost so many of the great designers over the past couple of years and it just breaks my heart. Cathy will be sorely missed.
As always, Barbara

Is It Too Late for a Humbug???

I know spring has sprung, but I guess it's never too late to do a winter humbug. LOL Of course I had to do some changes from the pattern....instead of doing the hearts over 1 thread, I found some amethyst hearts in my stash that work pretty well I think. This will either end up on our Christmas tree or as a gift to someone.

As always, Barbara

Another One For My Collection

I was goofing off this afternoon and came up with this little cutie. I made the basic circle pincushion and did the dividing into parts with pearl cotton and adding a pearl button in the center. I used red velvet for this so it has a "rich" feel about it. The bow was made using 3 different types of ribbon....organza, silk and taffeta in cream and red. I've had these little crystal candle holders for some time in my stash and I figured it's about time they were used for something.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway in the post below.

As always, Barbara

GOS Challenge #5 and This Ones a Giveaway

This challenge from GOS this time was a stumper for a while then it hit me. This one is a standup that holds your needle in the front on the magnetic strip and then on the back there is a lace sleeve to hold your scissors.

This is also a giveaway. Please leave your name and email on this post and I'll have hubby draw a name next saturday nite. This is open to anyone that reads my blog.
Good luck and as always, Barbara

Blackbird Designs Antique Rose Pincushion

This is one of the newest designs from Blackbird Designs and I've stitched it with a HDF silk from Vikki Clayton. I finished it a little different than they suggested, because I stitched a pretty braid around mine and then tied the bow at the bottom with the same braid. The bow at the bottom was made from the same fabric I used for the backside of the cushion and I used crushed corn cobs for the filler. This turned out very old looking which is what I love.

As always, Barbara

New Blackbird Finish

If you're looking for a quick stitch, this one is for you. It's been done on 32ct. linen using Vikki Clayton HDF silks. I liked how BBD finished theirs but as usual I wanted something different. I added the fabric to one end and the bow.

The pink beauty of azalea blooms are already opening up to the Florida sun down here.

From living up north, one of my favorite flowers are lilacs. Unfortunately, we can't grow them here in the south where it's too hot for them.

Who doesn't love the smell of lavender? This year I'm going to try growing it again so I can dry some for my pin pillows.

Nothing reminds me more of upcoming Easter than daffodils.

Pink Angel Pincushion

Pink angels on a pincushion.....why not? She was fun to stitch on the graziano linen using dmc floss. It's made like my larger pillows only this one will hold your pins. This one is also in my sales album.

See the bear in the background? That was made by my daughter, Jenn. Isn't he a sweetie? I love the way she's embroidered him with flowers on his head and back. He's all decked out for spring.

Ooooh Look What I Got

In case you haven't figured it out, my birthday was yesterday and my doorbell rang this morning and look what was on the other side!!! My sweet friend Rhonda sent me these beautiful flowers and I just love them. With winter hanging on as long as it has this year, these bring a breath of fresh air into our home. Thank you Rhonda for remembering my birthday and for being such a sweet friend.

Antique Style Tin - on sales page

I saw this design on another blog and thought it would make up into such a cute antique looking tin. It's been stitched on 36ct. Days Gone By linen and the tin itself has been covered with scrapbook paper that looks aged. I've added the lace and bow to make it look like something a lady from long ago would of used for her pins.

The glasses belonged to my great grandmother who also did needlework.

Spring Has Sprung

This cutie pie from the Floss Box stitched up really fast and turned out adorable. I changed the colors to pastels that put you in mind of Easter and that sneaky little bunny we all love....although I found the chocolate eggs early.

And Just Like That.......

I have a dear sweet friend Thellie, who sent me this birthday card and I just have to share the laughter. "And just like that" is what it says on the outside and inside "you're your mother". This just cracked me up .... and I'm sure there are others out there, of a certain age, who can identify with this picture. LOL

Also, today I received my new treadmill. Wow....now I have no excuse do I? I've put on some extra pounds since I quit smoking last May and I figured this would be a good way to get in shape....right? Well I jumped on that puppy and got it up to 1.5 mph and I treaded for 10 mins. Whew..... after all that I figured I deserved a reward...right? So I went and had a donut. LOL Think I have the right idea? LOL

A Stitcher's Companion Completed

I love Blackbird Designs and this one was a little sweetheart to stitch. It's stitched with that new fiber I am in love with...DMC Floche in black on Belfast linen. My hubby was nice enough to make the wooden backing and I dyed it black to match.
The shoes that you see were my father's baby shoes and are one of my most prized possessions.

As always, Barbara

In Remembrance of My Grandmother

With the date of my father's birthday coming next weekend, my thoughts have turned towards my paternal grandmother. Her name was Anna Grace and she was a treasure. For those who don't know the story, my mother was pregnant with my youngest brother when I was 7 years old. I had two older brothers and my father decided he could not take care of all of us while mom was in the hospital so off I went for a week to Grandmothers. She lived out in the country with no neighbors so what do you do to keep a 7 year old girl entertained....you teach her how to do needlework. In that glorious week, I learned all kinds of wonderous things that I can remember to this day how her hands looked while she was doing all this delicate work. My mother, bless her soul, couldn't thread a needle let alone do any needlework, so over the years my Grandmother, Anna Grace taught me everything I wanted to learn. We never did get around to teaching me how to tat and that I have often regretted over the years.

My daughter, Jenn, knows how to do every kind of needlework I know....she beats me at a lot of things but we won't tell her. Whenever I taught her a new thing, my mind would always go to my grandmother. Funny how just little things will bring back a memory that you hadn't thought about in a long time. She passed away before Jenn was just one year old, so she never got to meet this remarkable woman. The above picture is her when she was in her late teens and I think she is absolutely beautiful. Even when she got older and her hair turned white, she was still beautiful to me. She's one of those blessed people who have a great soul and you never forget that person. Have any of you have someone like that in your life? I certainly hope so because it gives me comfort knowing that she was in mine.

As always, Barbara

Another Market finish

This sweet little scissor case comes from Dinky Dyes and is their latest release. You can see that it's a little different from their other scissor cases that they have released and this one has matching scissors.

And the giveway winner is.......

.....Carol. I want to thank all of you who entered my little giveaway and keep an eye out for more of this type.

As always, Barbara

New Item for Sale

I have added this darling little pincushion to my sale item today. It is done is shades of blue from lite blue to royal blue. You can see the pretty braid I've added around the top and my "trademark" bow.

Needle And Thread, Needle And Thread

I'm sure everyone recognizes this as the newest design by Little House Needleworks from this years market. It was definitely a fun stitch and the assembly was easy as pie. The entire poem on the pillow goes like this:

Needle and Thread

Needle and Thread

When starlight fades

I lay them to bed.

As always, Barbara

Ooooo La La Paree'

This was a freebie pattern I found on the net and with me loving anything french, I knew I had to stitch it. I tea dyed the cotton lace around the pillow and the stitching was done with Dinky Dyes called Taylor's Sweet Pea. Isn't that the prettiest name?

Just a quick reminder to enter my contest below if you haven't already. Deadline is this friday.

As always, Barbara

Thoughts to Share

Something Different

I felt like making something that I didn't have to do any cross stitch on and I think this fits the bill. I needed something to hold my blackberry when I'm out shopping because I just don't like it in my pants pocket or pocket book. Cute huh?

My Easter Giveaway

I've decided to have my first giveaway being an Easter design. This sweet little "wabbit" is from Sheepish Designs. He is stitched on a 28ct. peach/pink linen using overdyed cotton floss. The approx. size is 3 x 7 inches. He would be sweet as an ornament or maybe placed in a basket.
Please leave your name and email address and I will have DH pick a name on March 13th. Good luck!

Sam is a Turd

Now is this being lazy or what? I cannot believe that this very smart dog is actually licking this guys foot. Would you call this a 'redneck' foot wash?

No I don't have a dog but this one I would take in a minute, so this one is a friends. Now this dog's real name is Sam but believe me some of the things this dog gets into.....well let's just say he's earned the name Turd. Ain't he a beauty?

You Have Got To Try This!!!!

I saw these at a local shop and I thought to myself "I can do this"....well it's so easy anyone can do this. I went to my local Joann's and purchased the wool felt, cup and beads for on top of the corsage pins. I decided to do one in some spring colors and it might of taken me 15 mins. to do the entire project. Wouldn't these make terrific last minute gifts for that stitcher we all know and haven't the foggiest idea what to get them? If you try it, please let me know so I can see what color combinations you came up with.

BBD Summer House Pincushion Progress

I've been working on this project for going on two days now and I'm making pretty good progress. I am getting concerned about the colors of floss I am using. The colors I used are what the pattern called for but I'm afraid the fabric might be too dark. I'm using the 28ct. Whittenburg so we'll see how it looks when finished....hopefully ok.

As always,

Barbara

Just Had to Share This

I came across this picture and I just had to share it with you all. Is this not the face of an angel? I would love to see this in cross stitch.

As always,
Barbara

Blue Heart Pincushion Finish

I finished another item this morning while hubby was home sick. Something is going around and it seems we both have gotten it. This pincushion stitched up very fast with a varigated thread and I finished it into a pincushion with a pretty cotton fabric. I even made some straight pins to match....aren't I clever.....LOL....don't answer that. This one is for sale so look for it in my "finished items" folder to the right.

I hope everyone is having a good March 1st. It's sunny and kind of warm here in Orlando but tomorrow it's calling for rain. My pansies or monkey faces as some people call them, are looking very cheerful and bright and the jasmine that is planted beside the front porch is in bloom and smells wonderful. For you that have never smelled a citrus tree when it is in bloom ,you are really missing out. We have a red grapefruit tree in our front yard and when it blooms, the perfume is so wonderful. We lost our orange tree this last winter and we haven't replaced it yet but that will be remedied this spring. We had a valencia and I'm hoping we can replace it with the same.

Well it's time to start something new and I have decided I'm going to do one of the new designs from Blackbird Designs. It's the Summer House Pincushion ....have you noticed how many pincushions I stitch? What can I say ..... I absolutely love them and this one is no exception. I am stitching it on my last piece of 28ct. Whittenburg. This is a fabric that has been out of production for many years and I've been holding on to this last piece for about 3 years. Well I think I've found the perfect pattern to do on it so I will share with you soon.

As always,

Barbara